


You Do What You Have To For Family

by RVTstudent



Series: Finding Family [1]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Adoption, Blended family, Character Death, Child Death, F/M, Family, Family Fluff, Family Relationship(s), Fluff, Interspecies Romance, Post-Reaper War, Relationship(s), child illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-03-12 11:19:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13546263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RVTstudent/pseuds/RVTstudent
Summary: "Family is like music. Some high notes, some low notes, but always a beautiful song."A turian male, retiring from his service to the Hierarchy, and a human female, caring for a chronically ill turian child cross paths and end up finding everything they were looking for.2018/04/19 - Last 3 chapters are up!2018/08/07 - Artwork on Chapter 1!





	1. Ch. 1– Turian Embassy - Caelan

**Author's Note:**

> First time fanfic writer here! I fell in love with the ME fandom over the summer and have been inspired by all of the amazing Shakarian and human female/turian male stories and thought I’d try and create my own. It’s been a long time since I have done any creative writing – writing scientific papers for university takes the creativity right out of you! I have most of this story written and I'm hoping to update every other Thursday so I'll have a chance to hammer out those last few chapters. Constructive criticism and kudos welcome.

Caelan Aetrius was tired. If he was being honest with himself, he was feeling a little bit lost and lonely too. He knew, logically, that he shouldn’t be tired – providing a protection detail for turian dignitaries took far less of his energy than the anti-slaver missions his squad was usually tasked with.

His feeling of being adrift stemmed from the fact that this was his last act of service for the Hierarchy. After the next two days passed, he would be honorably discharged from active duty. What he would do next, he had no idea. He had entertained the thought of returning to his family home in Palaven’s northern highlands, but Caelan didn’t have any interest at all in taking his fathers place caring for the _spirituum_ _templum,_ as had been tradition in the Aetrius family for centuries. He supposed that he could work for a weapons manufacturer or at a gun range on the Citadel, but that work seemed too monotonous to Caelan. He knew that many turians elected to apply to C-SEC, and according to the recruiter he had spoken to yesterday, Caelan’s skills and experience would easily qualify him for admittance.

Eyeing the crowds from his position on the plaza outside the Turian embassy, Caelan contemplated the last emotion he was feeling: loneliness. While he had a few friends and acquaintances on the Citadel, his family still resided on Palaven, at their home in the highlands, and as far as he knew, his former mate, Vivia, still lived in Cipritine. The military had been his family since he started basic at 15, and now he was leaving them too.

At the age of 34 and the oldest of his siblings, Caelan would have been expected to have bonded and started a family by now. Mena, his sister and only family member he regularly spoke with, and her bondmate already had a six-year old son and were trying for another. His half-sister Tani was in the family way with her first pregnancy and his younger half-brother Luccus was set to be bonded with his mate next year.

Caelan had broken things off with Vivia when he returned from a deployment four years ago to find her and the three others she had taken into their bed. Any sort of romantic relationships that followed were a few blind dates set up by the others in his squad, followed by a six-month period where he was on-again-off-again with a tempermental Asari commando.

He supposed that he should be looking for someone new, but he wanted to meet someone who intrigued him - a puzzle to figure out. Vivia had been beautiful, but simple, mustering out of her service after completing her mandatory two years, before joining her uncle at his armor-smith shop, where she was coddled along by her higher-ranking and well to do relatives.

Caelan also wanted someone who could handle the realities of the work he did and that would support him in his career – whatever he ended up deciding to do. That had been the other reason for his relationship imploding with Vivia. _“You’re never here when I need you!”_ she had accused him after her “guests” left their apartment, “ _You’re always off-planet and when you come back it’s like part of you is still out there!”._

Before he could spiral any further down _that_ _lepus_ hole, Caelan’s reverie was interrupted by a voice, lacking the deeper flanging that would come with maturity, of a young _puer_ making his way towards the front of the crowd.

“Hurry _ima_! We’re gonna miss it!”

Caelan chuffed to himself and started to turn away before something else caught his attention. It wasn’t the supportive braces that the _puer_ was using to walk, nor was it the rare coppery plates of the child. Instead it was the _five fingered_ hand resting on the back of the youngling’s cowl, and a quiet _single toned_ voice, excusing the pair as they made their way to the front.

Caelan blinked, thinking he was hallucinating, but when his eyes opened again the light was still glinting off the dark golden fringe – _hair,_ Caelan corrected – of a _human female_.

A _human_ female, accompanying a young _puer_ to a _turian_ speech.

A _puer_ who called her _ima_.

Stopping at the roped barrier, the female crouched next to the _puer._

“There my _adva,_ we’re here just in time.”. She nuzzled the little head and tickled her fingers inside of the small cowl, causing a few excited giggles to erupt, before she stood and connected gazes with Caelan.

Dark, stormy blue eyes that reminded Caelan of the sky just before a torrential downpour during Palaven's rainy season, met Caelan’s light green gaze for a few heartbeats before he realized that he had been caught openly staring. His neck flushed blue and he chirruped in apology before looking away uncomfortably.

Hearing the skycars approach and land, which signaled that the Councilor, Primarch and other dignitaries had arrived, Caelan came to parade rest standing near the barrier, facing the plaza. He snuck one last glance at the human female before the crowd began singing the opening lines to “Die for the Cause”. Behind him, he heard the fledgling sing with all the pride that would befit an esteemed general, and Caelan smiled to himself at the _puer’s_ enthusiasm. What he hadn’t expected was to hear the human woman hum along with the tune, obviously lacking the second larynx needed to pronounce all of the words.

He turned and with browplates raised in surprise, he stared at the human female who flushed red, her humming dying out. Composing herself, she regarded Caelan coolly and he gave her an encouraging nod and mandible flick before turning back to face the plaza. As the last lines of the song rang out, he heard her join in again. _Good,_ he thought to himself. It was nice to see that other species could appreciate different cultures, even though the subvocals of some of the elderly turians nearby were vibrating in barely hidden hostility towards the human.

Caelan brought his attention to the raised dais where Councillor Linrian, who had replaced Sparatus earlier in the year, stood with Primarch Victus, Advisor Vakarian, and Generals Corinthus, Albaion and Tanilin. The Councillor stepped forward and began to speak to the gathered crowd of turians. Caelan tried to pay attention to the new Councillor’s speech, but the conversation behind him captured most of his attention.

“…who are the members of the Primarch’s _consul_?”

“Advisor Vakarian, General Corinthus, General Albaion and General Tanilin.”, the puer replied confidently and the human female smiled.

“And what of the purpose of the _consul?”_ she asked.

“The _consul_ is made of high-ranking turians and they advise the Head Primarch on the colonies and other Primarchs, civilians, the fleet, economics, client races and threats to the Hierarchy.”

Caelan was impressed with the youngling’s knowledge. Most turians didn’t learn about the higher tiers of the Hierarchy until they were ten or eleven years old, and this _puer_ couldn’t be any more than eight. He was even reminded of himself at a _much_ younger age, following his father around the _templum_ asking questions about the history of the Hierarchy.

As the speech ended and the crowd began to dissipate, Caelan turned to commend the _puer_ on his knowledge, but the last sight he got of the pair was of a flick of dark gold hair tied up in a long tail before they were swallowed up by the crowd.

Sighing, and rubbing the back of his neck, Caelan decided that once the dignitaries were inside the embassy for their banquet, he would head over to the memorial gardens to scope out the location ahead of the memorial service the following day.

 

 

                                                                              

_Caelan Aetrius_

 The bust of Caelan comes courtesy of [SquigglySquidd's](https://squigglysquidd.tumblr.com/) Ko-Fi event. Many thanks for creating this gorgeous image!

 

Dictionary: 

Spirituum templum – Latin for spirit temple. Used to describe a temple where turians can commune with the spirits.

Lepus – Latin for rabbit. Used in this story to name a small and spiny gopher-like creature native to Northern Palaven.

Puer – Latin for boy

Ima – Hebrew for mother. Used here to mean the same.

Adva – Hebrew for small wave or ripple. Used in this story to mean “little one”.

Consul – committee or inner circle

Mate/Mated vs Bondmate: My HC is that turian couples who are in committed long-term relationships/are engaged call themselves mates. Once they have their bonding ceremony, then they are bondmates.


	2. Ch. 2 - First Seeds - Lara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the other half of this cross-species liaison! Lara and her son meet the turian soldier from the embassy again.

Lara Wells was tired, and she was glad that she had taken the day off from her classes, even though that meant she would have extra to catch up on when the weekend arrived. She had overslept this morning, and as a result Lara and her son were almost late to the welcoming ceremony for the Turian dignitaries.

A small three fingered hand tugged incessantly on her sleeve as the VI announced their arrival at the Reaper War Memorial Gardens.

 “Ima…Ima…Ima! We’re here.” Caius, Lara’s son pointed out the window of the transport at the ornate ironwork gate that opened into the garden. Caius bounced in his seat impatiently as Lara removed his braces from where they were stored under their seats and they made their way off the transport. The garden was practically empty today, which Lara had expected considering the memorial service was taking place tomorrow, when the crowds would swell into the tens of thousands, with the broadcasts being delivered across the galaxy.

The garden was designed in a large circle that was divided into different sections by pathways radiating out from the large, three-sided monument where the last part of Admiral Hackett’s speech to the fleets was engraved - “ _Stand fast”, “Stand strong”, “Stand together”._

Each section of the garden was dedicated to the species that fought during the war, and housed plants, trees and grasses from that species home planet, along with original pieces of commissioned artwork.

The Krogan had a mural created that depicted a scarred Battlemaster holding a young Krogan child in his arms. The Quarians made a statue of a male Quarian removing his facemask, a geth standing at his side. The humans went with a small, rotating replica of the _Normandy SR-1_ and the Asari chose to create a plaque with a blessing from the goddess engraved on it’s surface. There were also sections for the Drell, Elcor, and the few radical Hanar and Batarians who also gave their lives in the fight against the Reapers.

However, it was the Turian section of the garden that Lara and Caius had come to visit. The Turians went with a large _ignis patera_ , the shallow bowl shape and dancing flames reminiscent of communal fires that the clan living ancestors of the Turians would cook by. Smaller _ignis pateras_ could also be found in Turian temples, and were often fueled by pleasant, minty smelling brush that gave the fire a unique blue flame.

 

Lara and Caius made their way around the space, taking in the shimmering silvery leaves of the _whorled plate-leaf_ tree and the deep blues of the _aconite_ flower, Caius’ favorites. Their exploration was interrupted by Caius’ mandibles pinching in a grimace, his voice keening in pain.

“Hurts ima.” he said between short, panting breaths. Lara removed Caius’ braces throwing them off to the side before scooping him up and settling him on a nearby bench, where Lara began massaging his back and legs. The doctor had warned her that taking Caius to see the arrival of the visiting dignitaries would likely be too much activity for him, but Caius wouldn’t be denied.

Caius made a deal with the doctor that if he spent the entirety of the previous day in bed resting then he could attend the event today. Lara kept up her massage until Caius’ breathing evened out again, the tell-tale muscle cramping ceasing under her fingers. Each time Caius had a spasm, they seemed to be lasting longer and were more severe, and Lara feared that another hospital visit was in their near future, despite having met with the doctor just the other day.

“Do you want to make your _offero_ or do you need me to do it?”, Lara asked gently, still rubbing Caius’ back in soothing strokes. Caius shook his head, trilling in sadness. Lara pressed a kiss to his brow before removing a folded paper from her bag and standing.

“Rest easy _adva._ I’ll be right back.” Lara said before she made her way over to the shallow _patera_ with it’s flickering blue flames. Unfolding the paper in her hand, Lara’s breath hitched when she saw the drawing of her little family and her lips trembled, a few tears escaping from her eyes.

She took one last look at the picture Caius had drawn of his brown-plated _abba_ holding hands with a little copper _puer_ and a yellow haired human, with arrows pointing out who was who. _Abba. Me. Ima._ Lara placed the drawing into the flames and stepped back, hastily wiping her eyes and inhaling a shaky breath.

“I’m told that you belong to the _puer_ on the bench who goes by the name of Caius.” a deep, dual-toned voice behind her said. Lara visibly jumped in surprise and spun around to face the speaker. She took in the tall, dark grey male from the embassy earlier in the day, who stood a few paces away.

Deep forest green markings graced masculine mandibles in an elegant curve, and a line ran from his fringe down his forehead and nose where the color spread under his eyes before narrowing again as it passed over his mouthplates and onto his chin. Bright green-as-grass eyes searched her face as she cleared her throat and nodded.

“He wanted me to make sure you were alright. I also believe that these belong to him as well.” he spoke, handing Lara the braces she had thrown out of the way in her worry to make Caius comfortable.

“Thank you, uh, sir…” Lara trailed off.

“Caelan.” he supplied

“Thank you Caelan.”, she gave him a small smile and went to go over to the bench where Caius waited patiently. A large hand gently grasped her upper arm as she passed by the tall male, and Lara stopped, giving Caelan the chance to step in front of her.

“I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable earlier today. I was just surprised to see a human of all species…Spirits that’s not what I meant! I was glad to see you there with your _fil_. That’s what I wanted to say.”

“Thank you, Caelan. It really means a lot that you said that.” Lara smiled at seeing his relieved grin and gripped his forearm in a Turian handshake. She made her way over to Caius, and strapped his braces onto his arms before the two of them made their way out of the garden towards the waiting transport. Lara never saw the way Caelan watched the two of them leave the garden, but as she settled against the window with Caius nestled sleepily under her arm, she saw Caelan give her a small wave, which Lara returned before the transport pulled away.

 

 

 

Dictionary:

Ignis – Latin for fire + Patera – Latin for bowl = Fire bowl.

Ima – Hebrew for mother. Used here to mean the same.

Abba – Hebrew for father. Used here to mean the same.

Offero – Latin for offering. Used here to mean the same. Making an offering to the spirits using the _ignis patera_ is common practice in turian temples.

Fil – short for Filius which is Latin for son.

Aconite Flowers – AKA Aconitum, wolf’s bane/leopard’s bane is a plant native to mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Used here to denote blue flowers native to Northern Palaven.

Whorled plate-leaf tree – not an actual plant, but my made up name comes from the fact that the metallic silver leaves closely resemble turian plates.


	3. Ch. 3 - Getting Physical - Caelan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caelan finally finds the woman who has occupied his thoughts since the day in the memorial garden. Things get a little physical, but not in the way you might think...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments and kudos! It means a lot that you like reading this story. The final bits of the story are coming together, a new chapter will be out in 2 weeks.

Caelan had been disappointed the following day at the memorial ceremony when he didn’t see the female or her _fil_ , Caius as the young _puer_ had introduced himself to Caelan, asking if he could ‘please see if his _ima_ was ok’.

Realistically, he knew that a human woman caring for a turian child was unusual and shouldn’t be hard to find, but Caelan realized that the Citadel was a big station, and the unconventional pair might not even live there. So Caelan resigned himself to the fact that he would likely never cross paths with them again, but try as he might to forget them, he often found his thoughts drifting to the two. _What was their story?_

Naturally, he was _more_ than surprised when he arrived for his mandatory physical therapy evaluation at Huerta a few weeks later and saw the female working with an older asari matron on some leg exercises while a salarian supervised the appointment.

As he sat and waited for his appointment to be called, Caelan watched as the woman worked through the exercises with her patient, the salarian occasionally offering advice or demonstrating a more effective way to perform an action. She smiled, placing a hand on the knee of the asari and spoke in an encouraging tone before she rose, ending the appointment.

Caelan hadn’t noticed before, but the woman towered over many of the species there, with the exception of the turians. She was definitely equal in height to most turian females, and while she was broader than most other humans of her sex that he had seen, Caelan appreciatively noted the way her uniform flattered her fuller figure.

Unlike most turian males who were attracted to thin, tiny waists, Caelan had always preferred more shapely females – something he attributed to memories of his own _ima_ , while she hadn’t been the epitome of turian beauty, had been his rock as a young _puer._

His reminiscing caused him to lose sight of the female, and then the receptionist called his name and directed him into one of the smaller exam rooms. Caelan had been sent by C-SEC recruitment for PT for an older shoulder injury he had acquired a few months ago and hadn’t bothered to have treated properly, as the mission his team had been on was of critical importance.

Caelan’s gaze was wandering around the room, idly reading the various posters and anatomy charts when the door opened and his female – _When had he started referring to her as his female? Probably around the same time his extranet research expanded from vids on human cultures and customs into a curiosity about turian-human porn,_ he mused – backed into the room, still speaking to someone in the hallway.

Her golden hair had escaped its tail in some places, giving her a hard-working, slightly frazzled look, he noticed, before the stack of datapads she had clutched to her chest clattered onto the floor, and a lone piece of paper that came from somewhere in the stack drifted over to rest at Caelan’s feet.

Turning it over as he picked it up, Caelan saw that it was a child’s drawing, and he recognized it as part of the memorial garden.

“Hello.” he said simply, passing the paper over the crouched woman’s shoulder, who was attempting to organize the jumble of datapads. Her eyes flew to meet his own, and widened slightly as she recognized him.

“Hello. Caelan?” she replied a little breathlessly, rising to her feet. Sitting the datapads on the desk and tucking some shorter strands of hair behind her ears. She gestured for him to sit and she sat at the desk, opening up a datapad.

“I’m Lara Wells, a final year physiotherapist student and I’ll be starting your appointment today. You were referred to us by Dr. Arwik Solus to treat a shoulder injury you sustained prior to your admittance to C-SEC Academy, is that correct?”

Caelan nodded, “Batarian slaver got me in a bit of a tight spot. Nasty ammo, could have completely destroyed the joint but my armor took the worst of it. It healed fine, but I never bothered with any PT until now. Mostly it’s just stiff, sometimes painful if I’m holding a fixed position too long.”

Lara – he _finally_ knew her name! -  nodded along as he explained, tapping information into the data pad that Caelan assumed was his file.

“So today we’ll be doing some preliminary measurements and making your therapy plan.”, Lara said before she removed a white tape and an angled ruler from the desk drawer, “If you don’t mind removing your shirt we can get started.”.

Seeing Caelan’s look of confusion, Lara explained her request.

“I prefer using handheld measuring instruments rather than the scanning programs we have here. Research has shown that the omni-tool program isn’t always accurate for turian injuries because the density of your plates isn’t consistent in every individual and can affect the measurements.”

Caelan stood and removed his top. Cool fingers wrapped the white tape around his bicep before pulling it taught and recording the measure on the datapad. Next she got him to move his arm and shoulder through various positions while she took other measurements and then began to palpate his plates and muscles.

A small shiver raced down his back when he felt her warm breath at the base of his neck, her deft fingers moving along the dense plates and ropey muscle of his shoulder. He tried to distract himself, but his traitorous mind could only think about those mile-long legs. _Spirits those legs._

Caelan feared that certain parts of his anatomy might show a more visible response to what he was feeling, and he sent a silent prayer to the spirits when she was done. As he put his shirt back on, Lara was typing on the datapad, and he sat back in the chair, observing her until she was finished.

“So I just need to run this by my instructor before you go, but I think you’ll be fine with a shorter therapy program, about eight weeks or so, as you’ve retained a lot of your muscle mass. We’ll just be working on increasing your range of motion and building some more flexibility in the joint and should finish in time for you to start the new term at C-SEC academy.”

“That sounds good. How many visits per week?”

“Two weekly visits will work best to get you in shape for the academy. C-SEC will cover some of your visits as a recruit, and your military insurance, which is still valid, should cover the rest.”

Caelan nodded at that, and Lara left the room, telling him she would return momentarily. While he waited, Caelan found himself looking forward to his appointments, if only for the fact of getting to see Lara again. He noticed that she didn’t wear a human wedding ring, nor did he see any bondmate mark between her neck and shoulder.

 He had thought it too much to hope that Lara wasn’t taken, but feeling emboldened at not seeing any signs of her being with anyone he paused as he left his appointment, turning in the doorway to face Lara.

“Are you available for dinner and a vid tonight?” Caelan asked.

Lara seemed genuinely surprised at his question, her face shifting from considering to thoughtful. ‘ _Here it comes_ ,’ Caelan thought glumly, ‘ _she is taken, and she’s trying to think of a way to let me down.’_

“I don’t have a sitter for Caius tonight.” was Lara’s gentle reply. That brought Caelan out of his internal pity-party, and he smiled at her.

  
“Caius is more than welcome to come tonight. After all,” Caelan paused and stood taller, puffing his chest out and gave Lara his best smirk, “I need to make a good impression on his _ima_ , and I would be a poor excuse for a _torvir_ if I didn’t take him to see Blasto XII: Missing in Action!”.

That got a chuckle out of Lara and she blushed at his flirtation. “He has been feeling a little housebound…and I haven’t had the chance to take him to see that vid yet. My shift ends at six though, does that work ok for you?”

Caelan nodded and brought up the theatre times on his omni-tool. “If I pick you both up at seven, we can catch Blasto at eight on the Presidium and eat at the theatre?”

“We’d both like that.” Lara replied with a smile as she transferred her address to Caelan’s omnitool.

“See you then.” Caelan purred as they went their separate ways.

 

 

Dictionary:

Torvir – ‘vir’ is Latin for man, so I used torvir to denote a turian male over the age of maturity.

Ima – Hebrew for mother. Used here to mean the same.

Fil – short for Filius which is Latin for son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note about Lara starting Caelan's PT appointment. I'm basing her education as a physiotherapist student somewhat off of veterinary students, where in their final year of vet school they complete different rotations and often will start appointments before the senior vets/specialists see the client. So this is sort of the same idea - Lara is able to start Caelan's appointment and do follow-ups, but everything has to be run by her instructor/supervisor.


	4. Ch. 4 -Common Ground- Lara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lara and Caelan grow closer, and she receives bad news about Caius.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Time passes chapter*  
> Warning – child diagnosis/prognosis, mentioned drug use

Lara wasn’t sure what it was about Caelan that made her even consider taking him up on his offer of a date, but when she had mentioned not having a sitter for Caius, he hadn’t hesitated in the least to add Caius to their outing. Plus it was nice to _feel_ again.

After their outing to see Blasto, which left Caius nearly exhausted but happy the next day, chattering to Lara and his asari caregiver Neelia about his “new best friend Caelan” who had taken him to see Blasto, Lara and Caelan saw each other regularly between his physical therapy appointments and the evening or two a week where Caelan would cook for the three of them, enjoying the challenge of making levo food.

He would often stay to keep Caius company on nights when Lara was kept busy with her classwork. When Lara was able to have someone stay with Caius, the two of them would go out together, and Caelan had even taken her dancing where they fumbled their way around the dance floor, stepping on each others toes and laughing like idiots.

She loved how Caelan’s height made her feel small and feminine, and even though she was a little over six feet tall he still towered over her by almost a foot. His star-struck expression the first time he saw her in a dress made her feel sexy and a little less concerned about the flaws she saw with her body in the mirror.

At Caelan’s PT appointments he worked with Lara most of the time, and when he was assigned to another therapist or one of her classmates she could tell he was disappointed, so she made an effort to talk with him, even if only for a few minutes before he left. Eventually she found out from one of her classmates that Caelan had charmed his way into finding out when their breaks were, and had re-scheduled all of his appointments so he could take her to lunch after his session was finished.

As they got to know each other better, Lara found that they had a lot in common and learned that they were both fans of Expel 10; her for the catchy beat and him for his secret desire to learn how to play the _flassa_ , a holographic instrument similar to the electric guitar, like the band’s turian member.

He laughed when she told him of her obsession binge watching the show _Dr. Fear,_ a spin-off series from the movie, _We Meet Again, Doctor Fear_ , and she had snickered when he said that _Fleet and Flotilla_ was his favorite movie, “because of the action scenes!”. Never mind the fact that Lara saw Caelan go doe eyed during the balcony scene between Bellicus and Shalei.

His favorite food was _verrat seputus_ , but none of the restaurants on the Citadel could make it taste the same way his mother’s did. She had even learned, thanks to Caius, that Caelan was a bit of a closet turian history buff, and more than once Lara would take a break from her studying to find them wrapped up in one historical documentary or another.

They had kept their chats and questions to benign topics, avoiding the deeper questions. She avoided asking too much about his family, even though he talked easily about his mother, and Lara knew that he had questions about Caius’ need for walking braces or the small silver box Caius kept clipped to his waist, well as how the two of them became a family. Lara was thankful that he was polite enough to wait until she was ready to answer them.

 

Or, until she had to answer them that is.

 

Caelan had planned to take Lara and Caius to dinner to celebrate his graduation from the eight-month training program at C-SEC Academy and his recruitment into the Patrol division. She had completely forgotten when Caius had a bad spell and had to be taken to the hospital, until Caelan pinged her, wondering why they hadn’t shown up at the restaurant.

She replied telling him that Caius had been in the hospital and that she was sorry for forgetting. Less than an hour later, she was roused from her position on the couch when her door VI chimed, and she opened it to find Caelan on the other side dressed in a fancy green and gold suit, his mandibles flicking in stress and holding a take out bag in his hand.

Caelan pushed past Lara into the apartment, sitting the take out on the table before striding down the hallway, slipping into the bedroom to check on Caius. Caelan was acting as a worried, protective mate would, and although the two of them weren’t at the point of calling themselves mates yet, Lara couldn’t help but be reminded of Maxis, her past mate and the only _abba_ Caius had ever known. If she was being honest with herself, any sort of thoughts she had about the future included Caelan, and that thought _terrified_ her.

Maxis had been the only man who held her heart and his loss would have broken her, had it not been for Caius. She hadn’t dated, or ‘courted’ as Caelan liked to call it, in the years following that fateful day when a routine training exercise on Invictus took away her partner in all things. To think that Caelan could fill that empty void that had been in her heart for five years shook her to her core.

Caelan came out of the bedroom and taking one look at her pale face and the darkened shadows under her eyes, he drew Lara over to her nest of blankets on the couch before he re-heated the food. Placing the container on the coffee table, Caelan sat next to her and Lara half-heartedly picked at the meal he had brought.

“What happened?”, his vocals were thick with worry and concern.

Lara let out a sigh and tucked her feet underneath her, resting against the armrest of the couch. She hadn’t been quite ready to explain Caius’ unique physiology to Caelan yet, but he deserved to know.

“Cai was born on Earth not long after the end of the Reaper War. He was found newly born, tucked into his dead mother’s cowl. According to what records we – _I_ was able to find, his mother had been a repeated user of red sand and Minagen X3.”

Caelan let out a sharp hiss at that and Lara continued,

“Under normal circumstances, fetal exposure to element zero causes will cause further development of biotic nodes found in the body.”

Caelan nodded, “So Caius is biotic then?”

Lara shook her head, “Not exactly. Caius was born with biotic nodes yes, but, he was born with an excessive number of nodes concentrated in his brain stem and spinal cord that are degenerative and essentially like cancer, interfering with his mobility so he has to use the braces.

Caius has very little biotic capabilities because of this, and even so he has to wear a personal biotic dampener to decrease the impulses in his body. Instead of the nodes creating a biotic impulse like they normally would, all Caius feels is extreme pain and muscle cramping.”

Caelan leaned forward and looked at her intently. “Is there anything the doctors can do for him?”

 “Caius had been to every doctor and research specialist my mate and I could find. His condition is extremely rare and the doctors could only find one other case about an asari from a hundred years ago. All they can do is try to make him comfortable with muscle relaxants, massage and bed rest. Too much activity overwhelms his already fragile biotic nodes and causes him to have spells of muscle spasms and pain, which have been getting worse, and this afternoon he passed out on his caregiver who looks after him during the day for me.”

“What about surgery? Or treatment for the cancer?” Caelan’s voice rose harshly as he gestured with his hands, “Isn’t there _anything_ that can be done?”

Lara looked away, feeling defensive at his sudden change in tone. She pressed her lips in a thin line, blinking at the sudden sting of tears forming in her eyes.

“The cancerous nodes are a rare kind that normal cancer treatment can’t cure and they’re too integrated into his nervous system that they can’t be removed surgically without causing severe brain damage that would lead to death. But you want to know the worst part?”, she turned and looked at Caelan, tears streaking freely down her face.

“Even if we didn’t do the surgery, Cai is a ticking time bomb,”

Her breath hitched and her voice started to crack, “How do you tell the sweetest eight-year-old, who so desperately wants to live a normal life and to serve the Hierarchy like his _abba,_ that he isn’t going live to see another birthday!” she sobbed, lashing out as though she could fight off her son’s diagnosis with her bare hands.

 Caelan gathered her into his arms as she thrashed and sobbed, his hand running through her hair, his voice a comforting croon in her ears as she eventually stilled, surrounded by his warmth.

 

Dictionary:

Abba – Hebrew for father. Used to mean the same here.

C-SEC Patrol Division (According to the Mass Effect Wiki): “The ships crewed by the Patrol division serve “coast guard” functions, such as search and rescue, piracy suppression and interdiction of illegally transported materials. They are not used to defend the Citadel from naval attack; that task is left to the Citadel Fleet.”

Verrat seputus (From the Cerberus Daily News Wiki): “Verrat seputus is a turian dish, regarded as easy to prepare and easy on the gizzard, making it good comfort food.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Caius’ condition is from an interaction of the drugs his mother had been using and possibly a genetic factor as well (likely one or both of his birth parents were also biotic). I didn’t want to get into too many scientific specifics with his condition, other than the fact that it’s highly invasive and is terminal.
> 
> Also a note about red sand & Minagen X3 (from the Mass Effect Wiki): “Red sand is a stimulant with biotic enhancing properties…Asari and batarians are immune to red sand, whilst humans are the only race confirmed to be susceptible…” 
> 
> Although humans are the only species confirmed to be susceptible, I would also think that there are individuals of other species who are users as well.
> 
> “Minagen X3 is an illegal chemical that enhances biotics. The degree of enhancement is in proportion to the amount of exposure to the substance.”


	5. Ch. 5 - Breakaway - Caelan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caelan makes a choice and gets some advice from the last person he expected to understand his feelings.

When he tucked Lara into the blankets on her couch and turned the lights off as he left her apartment, Caelan knew he was being cowardly for not staying the night as he had done on occasion before, especially considering how distraught Lara was.

By the time he reached his own apartment near C-SEC headquarters, he knew he was the worst type of coward. He had stalked into her apartment in a way that only a protective bondmate should, a male filled with concern for his child. He wasn’t even sure if his presence in the role of a long-term mate was welcome, but Caelan did it anyway, finding it hard to override his instinctual response.

His heart had broken as Lara told him about Caius’ prognosis, and he had held Lara in his arms while she raged at the injustice dealt to her son. While he marveled at Lara’s strength in trying to handle the pain of Caius’ diagnosis on her own, and by divulging private details and readily accepting his comfort she showed Caelan that she trusted him, there was an insecure part of him had woven subtle jealously amongst his concern when she had mentioned another mate.

Lara had never mentioned a mate before, and Caelan hadn’t even considered that there was another male involved in Lara and Caius’ life.

As he laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling, the little spark flared into feelings of both white-hot jealously and concern for Lara possibly having to handle things with a difficult or an unsupportive mate, and they roiled in his gut. _Spirits_ , what if the other male wanted to reconcile things with Lara and he was in the way? That was the last thing he wanted to do to Lara and Caius.

Rolling onto his side and willing himself to sleep before his first day at C-SEC, Caelan decided that some distance was needed, if only for him to figure out his emotions.

 

\---

 

The message light on his omni-tool still blinked accusingly at him as Caelan stored his regulation armor in his locker. It had been over three weeks since he had last received a message from Lara that he hadn’t read.

The first he had received the morning after Lara’s breakdown in his arms. It was a message letting him know that Caius had wished him luck with “getting all the robbers and bad guys” on his first day at C-SEC. Caelan had chuffed at Caius’ obvious hero worship, but his heart had constricted as he continued reading Lara’s message thanking him for being there for her that night.

She had followed up a few days later with a message about making it up to him for missing his celebratory dinner, but Caelan had replied that he would be busy with his shifts at C-SEC and didn’t know when he could meet up with them. Some other messages were sent to him over the following weeks, but Caelan couldn’t bring himself to read them. He hadn’t been lying when he’d told Lara the he would be busy with C-SEC, if his amount of overtime was anything to go by, but his days and nights off were monotonously boring so he threw himself into his work.

Caelan had been trying hard to wrap his head around his emotions and instincts, and it showed when he was less than enthusiastic at the standing Skyllian Five game he played each month with a few of his friends and co-workers on the Citadel.

“What’s going on with you Cael? Something got your spurs crossed?” his closest friend Novos had asked him after their game ended as they reclined in Novos’ apartment, bottles of Apien Banner in their hands.

Caelan shrugged, taking a drink, unsure how to explain himself. Nov had been his best friend during basic and even after years apart, the other male still seemed to know Caelan better than Caelan knew himself.

“Does it have to do with your _inamorata_?” Nov asked, and Caelan silently cursed his friend’s perceptiveness. Caelan had told Nov that he had been seeing someone but he hadn’t delved into much detail.

Caelan glanced at Nov, and saw the other _torvir_ had fixed him with an imploring look. Sighing, he told his friend everything: how he had become protective of Lara and Caius, his despair over Caius’ condition and his jealousy and concern at the thought of another male in the picture.

Nov listened quietly and when Caelan finished, the white plated male was silent for a few moments, his mandibles flicking in thought.

“You know who could help you?” Nov began hesitantly, causing Caelan to perk up and trill in question, “Aclea.”

Caelan’s subvocals stuttered into an offended rumbling, “Absolutely not.”

Nov sighed and shook his head in exasperation at his friend, “I know you don’t like her, but Caelan if anyone understands feeling protective towards a mate and children that aren’t their own, especially with another mate still around, it is Aclea.”

Caelan was silent, even though he knew his friend was right. However, his _altera matrem_ was someone he didn’t really want to speak with, and he wasn’t sure she would even speak to him after he had cut most ties to his family twenty years ago. He still spoke with his sister Mena, and occasionally with his father, but he didn’t have much to do with his half-siblings or step-mother.

 

 

Shaking his head to clear him from his reverie, Caelan closed his gear locker and powered down his omni-tool as he left the station for his apartment.

He was partially through his dinner and re-run episode of _Dr. Fear_ , the show that Lara had introduced him to, when his vidcomm terminal rang. It was his father and Caelan reluctantly opened the channel.

Indari Aetrius looked like an older, more weathered version of Caelan and although his father was well into his sixties, his bright yellow gaze still spoke of youth.

“ _Abba._ ” Caelan acknowledged his father with a small respectful bow of his head.

“Hello my _fil_. I wasn’t sure if you would answer this time, as it seems you are avoiding all messages, even from your sister.”

Caelan chirped in apology and his father continued.

“Tani has surprised us with the birth of her two little ones yesterday; the doctors thought she only had one on the way. A _puer_ and a _puella_.”

Caelan nodded awkwardly, his mandibles fluttering in disbelief. Turians weren’t known to naturally have twins, and when a pair was born it was thought that the spirits were showing favor on that clan, which lead to a community wide celebration and blessing at the _templum_.

 

“Tani and Veter have chosen the names Dimia for the _puella_ and Quintus for the _puer_ , after Veter’s father. It would mean a lot to all of us if you would attend their blessing next month. Perhaps even bring your _inamorata_ Mena tells me you have been seeing?”

Caelan stiffened at that and his voice was low as he replied, “I will see if I can get leave.”

His mind whirled with the thought that his family wanted to meet Lara and were accepting of her being human, and he almost missed his father readying to end the transmission when he blurted out, “Abba, wait!”.

His father froze, arm stretched forward ready to switch off the vidcomm. Embarrassment and remorse entered Caelan’s subvocals and he asked “Is Aclea there? Could I speak to her privately?”. His father’s browplates rose, mandibles hanging slack in shock, before he cleared his throat and nodded, rising from his seat to allow the slight female to take his place.

The two regarded each other, Aclea’s blue eyes wide and mandibles flicking nervously.

“Congratulations to you and Tani on the birth of the two younglings.” Caelan began hesitantly, noting with relief when the _torvi_ ’s expression lightened at the mention of her grandchildren.

“Thank you Caelan,” Aclea replied, and both were silent for a few moments before Caelan continued.

“I know we are not on the best of terms Aclea, but I find myself in need of advice, and I think you are the one I could find it from.” Caelan said.

Aclea tilted her head in confusion as he continued,

“I have been seeing a human woman, Lara, who cares for a turian _puer_ , and is his _ima_.” Caelan paused and swallowed nervously, “I find myself caring for them both as a bondmate would, and Lara has been mated to another before, but I do not know the entire situation and feel out of my depth.”

Aclea’s face softened in understanding.

“Even before your abba and I bonded, I felt much the same way Caelan. But your ima, she sat down with me one day and we talked about you and your sister. She knew that I cared for you both as if you were my own, and told me that she was thankful her children had another caring parent in their life. I did not expect you to understand my feelings at the time Caelan. You were so close to going away to basic training, and angry at your abba, at me.”

Aclea paused and gave Caelan a shaky smile, “You probably don’t know this, but when you were injured during your final month of basic your father was away at the time, and when the call came from your instructors it was your _ima_ and I who sat together at the hospital, waiting for the doctors to come with news of you.”

Caelan thought of the web of scars on his abdomen from a training explosive that had malfunctioned as he had been trying to disarm it. He hadn’t known that Aclea had been at the hospital - when he had woken three days later, it was his father and his mother who had been at his bedside.

“What should I do?” Caelan asked.

“Do what your _ima_ did for me,” Aclea replied, “Sit down with Lara and talk with her. Be honest about your feelings and intentions, and offer to speak with her former mate. ‘You do what you have to for family’ is what your _ima_ told me when she spoke with me, and it is the best advice I have ever been given. She was a strong _torvi_ and a good friend, to your father and I.”

Caelan’s subvocals were thick with emotion as they closed the channel. He leaned his head forward onto the desk, and allowed himself to keen for the mother he had lost, for Aclea who still loved him even though he had snubbed her from his life, and for Lara, who he may have ruined everything with.

He composed himself, rising from chair with a new determination, and left behind his cold dinner with _Dr. Fear_ playing silently on the vidscreen as he exited the apartment on a mission.

 

 

 

Dictionary:  
To have “your spurs crossed” is like saying someone is “tied up in knots” or has their “panties in a bunch”.

Inamorata – Italian for a person’s female lover. Used here to mean the same.

Torvir – ‘vir’ is Latin for man, so I’ve used torvir to indicate a male turian over the age of maturity. Torvi – used to indicate a female turian over the age of majority.

Altera matrem – Latin for other mother. Used here to describe a step-mother.

Fil – short for Filius which is Latin for son.

Abba – Hebrew for father. Used here to mean the same.

Ima – Hebrew for mother. Used here to mean the same.

Puer – Latin for boy      Puella – Latin for girl

Spirituum templum – Latin for spirit temple. Used to describe a temple where one can commune with the spirits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that I have the story written ahead (aside from edits and small changes) I'll be switching to weekly updates!


	6. Ch. 6 – Mending Fences – Lara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caelan wants to fix things, Caius defends his mothers honor and Lara lays it all out.

Lara had started the past month out feeling a strange mix of heartache with Caius’ diagnosis and relief that she had told Caelan everything. But, by the third week, after her numerous attempts to get in contact with Caelan, from pings to vid-messages to stopping by his building, were ignored, she felt fear and sadness. Had she scared him off by opening up so much? Did he want to spare himself the misery of caring for a broken woman and a dying child?

By the time the next month rolled around, Lara was angry. She was short with her co-workers, with Caius’ caregiver Neelia, and she caught herself ready to snap at Caius on more than one occasion. So when she opened her apartment door, only to be pressed back against the wall by a seven-foot turian in a flurry of kisses, nips and gentle head-butts with “I love you”, “I missed you” and “I’m sorry” murmured against her skin, her anger hadn’t abated. At all.

When Caelan had stepped back, panting breathlessly, she forced her jelly-feeling body to move, and landed a poor hit to his mandible, followed by a strike to his shoulder. “What. The. Hell.” she snarled at him as he grabbed her hands in his own. His smoldering stare pinned her in place, and she could feel Caelan’s subharmonics skittering through different registers where he held her hands to his chest. Caelan’s voice was rough and deeper than normal when he replied, “I need to talk to you, but can I see Caius first?”.

“Let go of her!” was the last thing she expected to hear. Lara and Caelan both snapped their heads towards the voice, where Caius stood defiantly on shaking legs in the threshold of the living room.

While his voice was higher pitched than a mature male, the tone Caius spoke in was unmistakable: here was the _torvir_ Lara had dreamed Caius could grow up to be, not the _puer_ he was in age, protecting his family, his _ima_.

Caelan let go of her hands as if they burned him, and stepped away from her as Caius inserted himself between the two adults, taking Lara’s hand into his own.

 It was then that Lara noticed that Caius wasn’t using his braces and she moved forward to help support him just before he fell. As she pulled Caius to her, Caelan went into the other room, searching for her son’s supportive braces.

Caelan returned and went to hand the braces to Caius, who swiped out with his hand and snarled at the older male. In any other situation, Lara might have found the squeaky growl amusing, but she warningly said “Cai…”.

“He made you sad _ima_! He did! I saw you cry!” Caius twisted his head, looking at her with desperation in his amber eyes, upset voice warbling.

“I know I did,” Caelan’s voice rumbled as he knelt at eye level with Caius. “and I have to apologize for that. But do you think you and I could talk, _torvir_ to _torvir?_ ”.

Caius glanced at Lara unsurely and she inclined her head, telling Caius it was his choice. Nodding resolutely, Caius allowed her to help him to his feet, before he and Caelan made their way down the hall and into the bedroom.

Lara walked into the kitchen and with shaking hands, poured herself a glass of water. Trying to get her nerves under control, she braced her hands on the counter and leaned forward, closing her eyes and breathing deeply, feeling her pulse hammering behind her eyelids. She didn’t know how long she had been standing there when two arms snaked around her middle for a moment, a mandible fluttering against her neck. “Caius is asleep.” the body behind her murmured.

She untangled herself from his grip and strode into the living room, Caelan trailing behind her. She sat herself at one end of the couch opposite the gray turian.

 “Why are you-“, she started as Caelan spoke simultaneously “I’m sor-“. Caelan flicked a mandible in apology and gestured for Lara to speak first. “Why are you here?”, she challenged him.

“I need to apologize.” he said, reaching for her. Lara crossed her arms denying him her hand to hold, taking a small amount of petty satisfaction at the hurt look that flashed across Caelan’s face.

“Apologize for what? For leaving? For ignoring us? For making me regret that I unloaded on you? For making me thing you regretted being with me?” she cried, her eyes flashing angrily as she ticked her points off on her fingers.

“For that. And more.”, Caelan paused and swallowed, “I was jealous and overprotective that night, and I did not have any right to be.”.

Lara frowned in confusion, “Why were you jealous?”.

Caelan chirruped awkwardly and Lara saw his neck flush blue just above the collar of his shirt. “I was jealous of your mate still having a place in your life, in Caius’ life, and you hadn’t told me. Then my spirits damned instincts went haywire when you told me that Caius had been in the hospital, and I acted in a way that I shouldn’t have and I wasn’t sure if you even saw me as a long term mate like I see you as…” his ramble trailed off as Lara interrupted.

“You, were jealous. Of my mate. Still in my life?” she pronounced each word slowly. Caelan ducked his head in embarrassment.

Lara got up off the couch, not missing how Caelan’s eyes widened in subtle panic, and she walked over to the desk and picked up a silver locket. Opening the clasp, she returned to the couch and sat closer to Caelan, their shoulders brushing, and handed him the chain.

“This,” she said quietly, pointing to the picture of a dark brown _torvir_ with turquoise markings holding an infant sized Caius in his cowl, “was my mate Maxis. He was killed during a routine training exercise on Invictus five years ago.” Their gazes met and she continued, “A freak lightening storm struck the shuttle he was piloting and it crashed in the Asha sea. There were no survivors.”

“Oh _Lara,”_ Caelan breathed, his free hand cupped her face, thumbing away the tear that escaped her eye.

She inhaled shakily, and Caelan wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her flush with his side. Lara sniffled, “We met when I studied for a year abroad on Thessia, while I was doing my xenoscience degree.

When I moved to the Citadel to finish my program, we would meet up when he had shore leave, and eventually he requested to be transferred to the Citadel Fleet, and we moved in together. When the Reapers arrived, he went to Earth to fight, and sent me off-station on a liveship. After the war ended and relay traffic opened up, I went to Earth to help, and we found each other again in London.”

Lara laughed wetly then, “He was _so_ miserable, always complaining about the cold and rain, wishing that he could feel the desert heat. But he stayed, for me and the other turians stranded on Earth. Max was the one who found Caius the night he was born. He was leaving the turian refugee camp when he found Caius’ birth mother collapsed dead in an alleyway, her newborn crying for comfort and warmth, and he brought him back to the little house we were sharing.” she smiled.

“We were going to be bonded after he got back from his training on Invictus. Take Caius and travel back to his family home and see if we could find any of his relatives because his parents were both lost during the war.”

Her voice took a more serious note then, “When Max died, the only thing that kept me going was Caius. I couldn’t rely on my family, they disowned me for being with Max and raising Caius. I didn’t date; my world became Caius and my education at the university. Until you.” she finished, tapping the other half of the locket, where she had placed a photo she had taken of Caelan and Caius together on one of their outings.

Caelan inhaled sharply at the image, and he lifted her chin and kissed her, before he butted her forehead, and Lara traced her finger over his markings. Caelan purred and shifted them so that he drew her above him, straddling his waist. He pulled her hair loose from it’s tail and Lara’s golden locks curtained down, shutting out the rest of the world as they lost themselves in each other, a passion filled with quiet desperation and tender devotion spurring them on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Torvir – ‘vir’ is Latin for man, so I’ve used torvir to indicate a male turian over the age of maturity.
> 
> Mate/Mated vs Bondmate: My HC is that turian couples who are in committed long-term relationships/are engaged call themselves mates. Once they have their bonding ceremony, then they are bondmates.


	7. Ch. 7 – Reflections - Caelan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caelan reflects on the past year and plans a trip home to Palaven so Lara and Caius can meet the Aetrius clan.

When he woke the following morning, Caelan tensed, thinking that he had overslept and would be late for his shift at C-SEC, but relaxed when he remembered that he was off for the weekend before starting a night-shift rotation. He was in Lara’s bed, where they had migrated to at some point during the night, and was laying on his side, one arm resting on Lara’s waist and the other tucked under his pillow.

She faced him with one of her legs still slung over his thigh, her face serene in sleep as she breathed through her slightly parted lips. As he studied her, Caelan reflected on their conversations from the previous night as they held each other between their successive rounds of love-making.

Caelan told Lara about his family, his earliest memories with his mother in the _culina,_ his baby sister Mena babbling nonsense as he helped prepare the evening meal. He reminisced about how he would sneak onto the roof of the _templum_ to watch the twin moons rise over the mountains, and instead of being scolded, his father would join him and tell him stories about the centurion who placed Palaven’s moons Menae and Nanus in the sky as gifts to the day-spirit Trebia.

He spoke of how his parents had bonded for the benefit of a higher tier, rather than love, and how his family had been split apart when Caelan was thirteen and his father fell in love with Aclea, eventually bonding with her. How he came to resent his _altera matrem_ and had remained distant with his younger half-siblings, now realizing that he regretted his decision. He told Lara of his mother’s final days, injuries from a malfunction in her lab claiming her life while he was home on his very first shore leave.

In turn, Lara had spoken about Caius as a new youngling, how he refused to eat Xemna baby food, and would make the most insulted faces at her mate Maxis as he futilely tried to feed him. How Caius had loved to snuggle into her zipped up hoodie, tiny talons grasping her collarbone as he soaked up the warmth of her body while she hummed his favorite lullaby; and how when Caius was diagnosed with his disability, she went back to school part-time to learn physiotherapy in an attempt to help his condition.

Lara had even told Caelan more about her past mate after he had asked about Maxis. She told him about how Maxis had had a temper, but _never_ when it came to Caius. Lara often found herself playing the role of “bad parent” as Maxis would let Caius do and get away with most anything.

She had laughed when she told Caelan about how the two of them had met. Lara had wandered in to a dextro-only specialty shop on Thessia, looking for an order of turian chocolate covered _dulcis_ that her asari roommate, who had been dating a turian at the time, had introduced her to. After she had eaten just one of the little candies, Maxis literally threw her over his shoulder and hijacked a shuttle from a startled salarian family to take her to the hospital, where he learned that she didn’t have a dextro allergy, despite her repeated attempts to tell him so.

Maxis had been a hotshot pilot with many commendations, the only child of two proud colonist farmers who volunteered to live on Triginta Petra. During the Reaper War he had been transferred from the reserves back to active duty, serving with Artimec on Tuchanka, then fighting on Earth. Caelan was even surprised to learn that he had likely crossed paths with the other male during a mission on Solregit early on in their respective careers.

As he laid there, Caelan belatedly realized that it had been a little over a year since he first saw Lara and Caius at the Turian embassy. He mused over the fact that while it wasn’t love at first sight between them all those months ago, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the golden haired female with the young turian _puer_. That even though he had barely met them, his intense curiosity couldn’t let them go.

As he contemplated his thoughts, Caelan began to run his talons lightly up Lara’s side, from her thigh and over the swell of her hip, ending at her shoulder before he retraced the path, his talons leaving goosebumps in their wake.

He even dared to let his touch drift a little lower and smoothed his hand over the soft roll of her belly. He knew that she hated the extra weight she carried around her middle, but he secretly adored it, the softness of his mate he wouldn’t find in a female of his own species. Before long his ministrations had Lara arching into him with a contented moan, opening one eye to stare at him.

“Good morning _amora,_ ” he rumbled, drawing her closer by hiking her leg up over his hip spur and pressing his brow to hers.

“Morning,” she yawned as she returned the pressure with her own brow. Smoothly he rolled them over, raising himself above her, and placed light nips along the side of her throat, laving away the sting with his tongue. “I have a request,” he murmured, nuzzling her ear.

“What’s? That?” Lara asked breathlessly, and Caelan pulled back, flicking his mandibles in amusement and chuffing at how easily he could work her up.

“My father asked me to attend the _beneficium_ for Tani’s two younglings. I think it is time I got acquainted with my other siblings and their families; and I’d like to introduce my _inamorata_ and her _fil,_ my son and my mate, to the rest of my family.”

He could feel her breath hitch when he called Caius his son, and her his mate, and he saw tears spilling from the corner of her eyes as she smiled at him and he kissed them away as best he could, gently rocking into her groin.

“I take that as a yes?” he smirked knowingly. Lara grabbed onto his cowl and tangled her tongue with his own, and that was all the answer he needed.

\---

Caelan made himself comfortable in the kitchen, making breakfast while Lara showered and roused Caius out of bed. He was just dishing out their respective breakfasts when the two entered the kitchen. Lara’s hair was still damp from her shower and Caius was rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes, which narrowed at seeing Caelan standing in the kitchen.

He had apologized to the _puer_ the night before and had told Caius that he cared very much for Lara, and that he hadn’t meant to hurt either of them. While Caius had seemed to accept his apology, it became obvious to Caelan that the _puer_ still carried some mistrust towards him, judging by the way he sat protectively next to Lara and kept a close eye on Caelan as they ate.

Finishing his breakfast, Caelan watched Caius rest his head on Lara’s shoulder and he smiled to himself as Lara swallowed the last of her food, pressing a kiss to the _puer_ ’s fringe.

Taking a sip of his kava, Caelan caught Caius’ attention. “Your _ima_ and I were talking this morning, and I want to bring you both to Palaven to meet my family.”

Lara had told Caelan about Caius’ dream of visiting Palaven someday, and he chuffed when Caius’ eyes widened and his mandibles fluttered in disbelief as he raised his head, staring at Lara for confirmation. She chuckled at his expression, “Yes Cai, we’re really going to Palaven.”

Caius’ mandibles spread wide in a smile, his excited trill filling the kitchen, followed by the two adults joining in with smiles and laughter.

\---

Caelan had gone back to his apartment later that day and couldn’t contain the happiness that resounded in his subvocals, not caring about the strange looks some turians gave him for being so open with his feelings. Sitting at his vidcomm, he queued up his father’s address and soon the terminal projected the image of his father who was holding Caelan’s oldest nephew on his lap.

“Hello abba.”

“Caelan,” his father replied, sounding out of breath as he tried to hold onto the squirming _puer._

“Is Decian giving you the run around?” Caelan chuckled as his father released his grip on the youngling, who ran off with a hand thrust into the air, making sound effects for the model ship that was in his talons. 

“He is, takes after your sister you know, never can stay still, but ah,” Indari sighed contentedly, “he keeps me active.”

“I’m calling to let you know that I will be at the _beneficium_ for Tani’s twins and I will be bringing my mate Lara and her _fil_ Caius with me as well.”

“Spirits that is wonderful news! It has been too long since my oldest son has been home.”

Caelan ducked his head bashfully, “It was Aclea - she helped me see that I should make up for lost time, with my family and my mate.”

“Oh?” his father tilted his head in question.

“You do what you have to for family,” was Caelan’s way of explaining and he saw his father nod knowingly.

“When will you arrive?”

“We should be there a few days before the _beneficium_. Abba, I want to do something special for Caius, as I’ve hurt him and lost some of his trust. He has a unique condition that he cannot recover from, but I want to make a special memory for him. I think you may be able to help me; he’s always wanted to visit Palaven and he loves history…” Caelan went on to outline his idea and his father was more than willing to help.

 

Dictionary:

Abba – Hebrew for father. Used here to mean the same.

Altera matrem – Latin for other mother. Used here to describe a step-mother.

Amora – based off of Amare which is Latin for love.

Beneficium – Latin for blessing. Used here to mean the same.

Culina – Latin for kitchen. Used here to mean the same.

Dulcis – Latin for sweet. Used here to indicate a sweet candy.

Fil – Short for filius, which is Latin for son. Used here to mean the same.

Inamorata - Italian for a person’s female lover. Used here to mean the same.

Puer – Latin for boy. Used here to mean the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Solregit (From the Cerberus Daily News Wiki): “A turian planet. Solregit has been ransacked for hundreds of years by deep-rooted separatist unrest; developing as a conflict split across a geographical divide between the Turian Hierarchy loyalists, concentrated in the south, and the separatist northerners, descendants of illegal settlers who landed on the planet shortly after the Unification Wars. Many of these remain unregistered citizens. The native language is Aplis. Solregit is essentially split in two geographically as well as politically, by the equatorial desert waste. Solregit has two moons.” 
> 
>  
> 
> Triginta Petra (From the Mass Effect Wiki): “…Triginta Petra is also drier, with wide land masses that are largely desert…A handful of turians colonized the planet and attempted to introduce land plants. Their chief hurdle was the lack of good topsoil, which required imports and sophisticated farming practices to over come. The farmer’s maxim on Triginta Petra was “if you can last five seasons, you officially know what you’re doing.”


	8. Ch. 8 – Family Ties – Lara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the larger Aetrius clan, Lara enjoys the family life she hadn’t realized she had been missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow! 60 kudos and over 800 hits. Thank you so much for reading my little story everyone!

“Do you think they’ll like me _ima_?” Caius wrung his hands nervously as they looked out the shuttle window on their approach to the Aetrius family compound.

“Of course they will my _adva_. There’s another _puer_ who is around your age who you will meet too.” Lara replied, taking Caius’ hands into her own.

“But I’m not painted and I’m old enough to be!”

Lara sighed. As their trip to Palaven approached, Caius had become increasingly insecure about being bare-faced. The plan had been for him to be painted with Maxis’ markings when he was seven like all other young turians were, but with Maxis gone and Lara not being turian herself, Caius wasn’t able to be painted. She had explained this as best she could, although Caius protested that they didn’t have to follow the rules; he was part of her clan and she could give him whatever clan markings she wanted.

She noticed Caelan’s thoughtful look before he rose from his seat. The shuttle set down and Caelan kneeled in front of Caius and tipped his chin up, “My nephew Deican isn’t painted yet either Caius, so you won’t be the only one.”

Lara shot Caelan a grateful smile as they gathered their things. Caelan’s statement seemed to calm Caius’ worry for now, and she hoped that his insecurity would smooth over during their visit.

Exiting the shuttle, Lara was thankful that she had taken the anti-radiation meds and sunscreen the doctor had prescribed, rather than wearing an envirosuit. The late afternoon heat was less intense than she had expected, a refreshing breeze blowing down from the mountains, but she would have been boiling inside the suit.

The _spirituum templum_ rose before them, with white stucco walls and a terracotta roof. Two large malachite pillars, the color of Caelan’s clan markings, guarded the entry-way, and ornate ironwork enclosed the temple grounds, with small white flowers growing on a nearly black colored vine that mingled through the fence.

A door on the side wing that Lara assumed was the family’s living quarters, or _doma_ , opened and a sizeable group of turians exited, making their way towards the three visitors. Caelan met the _torvir_ who lead the group half-way across the courtyard, and as they clasped forearms, Lara could see that this male was an older looking version of Caelan and had to be his father Indari.

Caelan’s father made his way to where Lara and Caius stood, his bright yellow eyes took them in before he grasped Lara in a crushing hug, which startled her initially, and shook hands with Caius. “Welcome to our home.” Indari said to them, taking the bags Lara had slung over her shoulder.

As they followed the elder Aetrius closer to where the other turians stood fanned around Caelan, who was speaking lowly a shocked looking older female that Lara figured must be Caelan’s step-mother. She smiled at the _torvi_ as Caelan introduced them, “This is Aclea, my _altera matrem_.” The blue eyed female ducked her head and Lara returned her nod of respect and welcome, glad to see that Caelan had taken steps to start repairing his relationship with his step-mother.

“Spirits big brother, must you be so slow!” squealed a light, almost white plated female who ran over and threw herself at Caelan. Her black-plated mate trailed behind her and their son made his way over to where Caius was standing at her side.

“That is Mena, her mate Tiberius and their son Decian, who I can see is making friends already.” Indari chuckled as Caelan tried and failed to extricate himself from his sister’s grip. The two young boys were already chattering away, and Lara could hear Caius explaining to the younger _puer_ that yes, his _ima_ “really is a human”.

Two other couples stood back from the main group, and Lara made her way to introduce herself to whom she assumed were Caelan’s half siblings. The first couple, two silver males, she learned was Caelan’s younger half-brother Luccus, who had yellow eyes like Indari, and his mate Protis. The second couple introduced themselves at Veter and Tani, Caelan’s half-sister, who took after Aclea with her shorter stature and blue eyes.

The family ushered them inside, and showed them to the cluster of rooms that were reserved as Caelan’s wing of the _doma_ , where they would be staying. As the family made their way further into the home, Lara told Caelan that she wanted to freshen up a bit and he showed her the bathing room down the hall, before taking Caius with him and leaving her to change.

After her wash, and with a fresh change of clothes on, Lara took a little time to explore the Aetrius _doma._ She marveled at the architecture around her; the home was light and airy with high vaulted ceilings even as the sunlight through the windows began to wane. Dark exposed woodwork complimented the sandy walls, and she stopped to admire the various pieces of artwork and pottery displayed.

There were separate wings reserved for each family member as well as guests or other relatives, Caelan had explained to her. His family still preferred to live traditionally, with all of it’s members under one roof, Caelan being the exception. Areas like the _culina_ or the green tiled bathing room were all shared communally but the individual family quarters were private and kept separate from each other. At one time, the _doma_ would have housed over ten family units, all part of the same extended clan.

With the number of rooms and the warren of passageways, Lara had no trouble seeing an adolescent Caelan playing hide and seek, or whatever equivalent turians did, with his sister. Itching to explore further but figuring she had been absent long enough, Lara made her way down a side passage, following the sounds of voices. Passing by the _culina_ , she found Aclea and Mena checking the food cooking and Lara stopped to see if she could be of any assistance to the pair.

“No Lara, it’s quite alright, everything is almost ready. Would you mind checking your food for me? I’ve never cooked levo before and Caelan sent ahead some of your favorite recipes.”

Lara checked the soup that was cooking and assured the older female that it smelled delicious.

“Thank the spirits I did it correctly. Now off into the great room you go Lara, the family is eager to meet you. We’ll call when the meal is ready.” With that, Lara was shooed out of the kitchen.

Entering the great room, Lara saw Caelan sitting off to the side speaking quietly with Tani and Luccus. He had told her of his remorse at not getting to know his half-siblings and wanted to make amends, and she was glad to see that he was starting off on the right note, based on the tentative smiles she saw on their faces.

On the other side of the room, Mena’s mate Tiberius was starting a fire in the large fireplace, while Indari and Tani’s mate Veter, who had two tiny bundles nestled quietly in his cowl, reclined in matching chairs while Caius and Deican were sitting on the floor with a fleet of model ships spread between them.

Lara silently watched the scene in front of her, and occasionally she saw Caius’ gaze drift upwards to stare at the two infants, unhidden curiosity in his eyes. When he noticed her in the entryway, Caius pointed upwards at Veter’s cowl and asked, to the amusement of all the adults in the room, “Ima…I wasn’t that small, was I?”.

Lara chuckled as she moved closer, “Oh you were that small Cai, and you _weren’t_ quiet like those two. Your squawking was so loud it kept me up all night long unless your _abba_ or I sang to you after your feedings.”

“Really?” Caius swung his gaze back to the twins, browplates frowning in consideration.

“Would you like to hold one Caius?” Tani asked as the other three adults came up behind Lara. Caius nodded vigorously, and Indari helped him into the chair as Veter passed him Dimia, the little female. Tani took Quintus from her bondmate and handed him to Lara. Indari showed Caius how to hold the little one, and Lara watched as Caius reverently traced Dimia’s little mandibles before smoothing his fingers over the delicate keel bone. He grinned widely when the little _puella_ gripped his finger tightly, chirruping at him.

Feeling the twin in her arms begin to stir, Lara turned her attention to Quintus, who opened his comically large eyes and reached for her hair, and she placed some in the little hand.

“ _Ima_..” she heard Caius begin hesitantly, “Can I have a baby brother? Or sister?”, the adults chuckled and Lara gaped like a fish out of water. Caius had never brought up wanting siblings before, and if she was being honest she never thought she would be in a position to adopt and give him a sibling. The thought rendered her speechless. Helplessly, she looked at Caelan over her shoulder, and felt her heart melt when she saw his intense gaze filled with unspoken emotion and want.

“The meal is ready everyone!” Mena sang out, breaking the silence as she came into the great room. Lara handed Quintus back to his mother, and as the other turians filed in to the dining area, Caelan held her back and pressed his forehead to hers.

 “It seems we need to have a talk when we get back home, doesn’t it?”, he murmured before his mandibles flared in a smile.

 “It does seem that way.” Lara grinned and drew him in for a kiss. Threading her fingers with his own, the two of them made their way into the dining space, seating themselves at the last two spots around the table.

Caelan’s father sat at the head of the table and his gaze wandered over each of the occupants around the table before he stood, raising his glass in toast as the others joined hands.

_“Spirits of Palaven,_

_Be thou a bright flame before us,_

_Be thou a guiding star above us,_

_Be thou a smooth path below us,_

_Be thou a trusted comrade behind us._

_Tonight, tomorrow, and forever.”_

As Indari settled back in his seat, dishes were passed around the table, utensils clinking, and laughter and talk filled the room. Lara closed her eyes; for so long it had been just her and Caius and while the last five years hadn’t been overly lonely, she had forgotten how much she missed the sound of family.

It was something she had wanted Caius to grow up with, and she was glad that he would get to experience life in a large family, even if it was only for a little while.

 

Dictionary:

Ima – Hebrew for mother. Used here to mean the same.

Adva – Hebrew for small wave or ripple. Used in this story to mean “little one”.

Altera matrem – Latin for other mother. Used here to describe a step-mother.

Spirituum templum – Latin for spirit temple. Used to describe a temple where one can commune with the spirits.

Culina – Latin for kitchen. Used here to mean the same.

Doma - a large house or dwelling with many wings or separate areas meant to house large, extended families.

Puer – Latin for boy. Used here to mean the same.

Puella – Latin for girl. Used here to mean the same.

Torvir – vir is Latin for man. I’ve used torvir to indicate a mature turian male over the age of majority.

Torvi – a mature female turian over the age of majority.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The toast Caelan’s father says is adapted from this blessing by Columba:   
> “Be thou a bright flame before me,  
> Be thou a guiding star above me,  
> Be thou a smooth path below me,  
> Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me,  
> Today – tonight – and for ever”


	9. Ch. 9 – The Annals – Caelan & Lara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the help of his father, Caelan enacts his surprise for Caius, and Lara has a talk with her son. This chapter will have bits where it is Caelan’s POV & then will be Lara’s POV.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bigger chapter today!

It was late morning when Caelan woke to the sunlight streaming through his childhood bedroom, and he shrugged on a light tunic before slipping out quietly, taking care not to disturb his sleeping mate. Lara had been up with Caius during the night, likely because the _puer_ had overexerted himself at the beach they had taken Caius and Deican to the previous day. Lara hadn’t slept well afterwards, so instead of rousing her, despite knowing that Lara was a self-described “early bird” and would want to get up with him, Caelan hoped that she would catch up on some sleep instead.

The _doma_ was quiet, most of the family having already been up and started their day. Wandering into the kitchen, Caelan saw his father sitting at the table, sipping a steaming cup of kava and talking quietly with Caius, who was just finishing his breakfast.

“Caelan your _abba_ knows so many stories! He was telling me about Caelax and how her book talked about our tiers!” Caius said excitedly, “He said that she was even brown like me!”. Caelan nodded, getting his own kava. He had heard this story before as all turians had to read parts of the philosopher Caelax’s writings from ‘Service’ as part of their studies, but the bit about Caelax being the same copper color as Caius was a new addition. He suspected that his father embellished the story a bit, having found a captive audience in Caius.

“Did you know I was named after her brother?” Caelan asked.

“Really? What did he do?” Caius asked, turning eagerly to Indari for the answer.

Caelan snorted in amusement and leaned back, crossing his arms as he watched his father squirm. While Caelax’s elder brother had been revered as a formidable warrior, he was also thought to have been well-endowed, supposedly siring enough children to fill whole platoons, making Caelan himself the punchline of many jokes from his squad mates over the years. Caelan laughed to himself now, knowing that Lara was more than pleased with how he took after his namesake.

“He helped his sister write ‘Service’.” Indari lied and Caelan laughed, earning himself a glare from his father.

“Oh.” Caius said dejectedly, obviously having expected another interesting story. Caelan was still snickering to himself, earning a kick under the table from his father, when Lara came into the kitchen, dressed comfortably for the heat in shorts and a tank-top.

“What are you doing up? I thought you might want to sleep in.” Caelan frowned at the still visible bags under Lara’s eyes, thrumming in concern.

“Bed was empty without you.” Lara murmured, pressing a kiss to his mandible, before her voice rose in question, “What’s going on here?” she asked, nuzzling Caius before beginning to prepare her breakfast.

“We were just getting ready to tell Caius about our plan for the afternoon after he rests this morning.” Indari said smoothly, having watched and heard the entire exchange in front of him.

“Oh? What do you have planned?” Lara inquired, sitting at the table next to his father with her breakfast.

“We’re going to take Caius on a tour of the _templum_ and the archives.” Indari answered with a smile, noticing how Caius’ eyes widened and a surprised trill entered his subvocals.

“Do you want to come with us Lara?” Caelan asked and she shook her head.

“I promised to help Aclea with some shopping at the markets and Mena said that she was going to fill me in on some stories about her big brother.” Lara teased and Caelan rolled his eyes. He was glad that Lara and his sister hit it off quickly, but some of Mena’s tales were embarrassing or downright cringe-worthy.

“Just remember, they’re mostly all true.” Indari winked making Lara laugh as Caelan glowered half-heartedly at his father.

“Well Caius, let’s get you settled into bed before I have to go.” Lara said, pushing back from the table as she finished. She helped him out of his chair and the two made their way back towards the bedrooms, leaving father and son sitting in silence for a few moments. Caelan watched Lara and Caius make their way down the hall, and Indari studied his son across from him.

“She’s your ‘one’, isn’t she?”

“Hmmm?” Caelan hummed distractedly, gaze still fixated on the two retreating figures.

“Don’t play coy son. I’ve never seen you this content, even when you were with the other one."

Caelan pinched his mandibles to his chin at the mention of Vivia, the only other female he’d brought home to meet his family. His father hadn’t approved, despite the rest of the family having no reservations about their match, and Caelan had nearly bonded with her out of spite before discovering Vivia’s lack of faith in their relationship and her exotic tastes in stress relief.

“Did you know she left Palaven, stripped her markings? Rumor is she ran off with a hanar to ‘enkindle’.” Indari was shaking with laughter and Caelan even had to smile at his father’s “I told you so” rumble, thankful that he hadn’t stayed with her. He never would have met Lara and Caius otherwise, and that realization sobered him quickly.

Indari noticed the change in his son’s demeanor and he was serious when he spoke again. “Lara’s good for you Caelan, I can see that, but I don’t think I’m wrong when I say that you’ve been good for her and Caius as well?”

“I almost lost them...” Caelan murmured, staring down at his hands before meeting his fathers gaze, “She doesn’t just make me better _abba_ , I _want_ to be better for them, and this trip is the start of that. They haven’t had an easy path and it’s only going to get harder. They deserve so much more than I can give them.”

Hearing footsteps coming back towards the _culina_ , Indari rose with his now empty mug and leaned down to whisper to his son, “Now that you have them back, don’t let go.”. Squeezing his son’s shoulder, Indari stepped aside as Lara slid in to the table next to Caelan, and he left the couple sitting together.

“Cai is all settled and he’s really looking forward to your tour this afternoon.” Lara’s eyes sparkled, “Thank you for doing this for him.”

A ping sounded from Lara’s omni-tool prevented his reply as Lara opened it, reading the message. “Mena’s ready. I should get going.” They both rose from the table and Lara gave Caelan a chaste kiss and went to leave, only to be pulled back into his arms.

“One more.” Caelan dipped his head and pressed his mouth to her lips.

Another impatient chime sounded and Caelan pulled away smirking, “She can wait a minute because I think I might need _just_ one more kiss from my mate this morning.” Grinning playfully, Lara obliged him for a third and Caelan savored her taste, the feel of her pressed against him. Having Lara and Caius with him under the roof of his family’s _doma,_ Caelan felt whole, complete, with the feeling of _hiraeth_ that he’d carried with him from the day he had walked out at the age of thirteen being lifted from his shoulders.

“There,” he said breathlessly, still holding Lara to him, “now you can go.”

“Hello? Are you ready Lara?” Mena’s voice called, the closing of a door echoing through the _doma_.

“Just a second!” Lara’s reply directed his sister to their location. Mena bustled in on them standing in the _culina_ where Lara was still being held in Caelan’s arms.

“Your, ah, brother is a bit reluctant to let me go it seems.” Lara’s blushing, but not embarrassed and Caelan tightened his grip on her slightly, knowing that she enjoyed the turn on of indulging him in a bit of selfish possessiveness now and then.

“I always thought he was a bit clingy.” Mena snarked playfully at her elder brother who in turn made a big, dramatic show of releasing Lara.

“Ping me if you need anything or if Caius needs something?”

“Of course.” Caelan purred, before flipping off his sister with a rude turian gesture when she called him an ‘ooo-lll-ddd softie’. “We’ll be fine; you just enjoy your day.”

“And don’t listen to half of what she says!” he called after the pair.

Mena and Lara’s combined laughter was the only response.

\---

The Aetrius family had been lucky during the Reaper War in that their _doma_ and the _templum_ that employed Indari as its caretaker hadn’t been destroyed, preserving the priceless artifacts, records and architecture kept within. Most of the families in the Montanis highlands had been spared, unlike more densely populated areas which had been completely razed over.

“A lot of these are the records for the families of our colony,” Caelan explained as they entered the large rounded alcove, making their way out of the temple proper into the lower levels. “the _turiavi,_ or record keeper of the _templum_ is responsible for updating them, unless there isn’t one, then a _curate_ like my father makes the record.”

“What gets put in them?” Caius asked, curiously passing his gaze around the room and over the heavy leather bound books stacked nearly to the ceiling.

“Things like couples bonding, younglings being born, promotions and passing on to the spirits all get written in the annal for that family.”

“This one,” Indari said, lifting a hefty volume down to Caelan from one of the upper shelves, “is the Aetrius family record. It goes back to before the Krogan Rebellions.”

“Oh wow,” Caius breathed, running a gentle talon across the battered leather, pausing at the gold embossed lettering, “What does this mean?”

“That is our family motto, ‘ _fide et fortitudine stabo’_ , it means by faith and fortitude I stand.” Caelan explained, opening the book, flipping to the page he was looking for.

“See this name? Palia Aetrius, my _avia_ from twelve generations back, she was Palaven’s first Primarchessa. And here,” Caelan flipped to another page towards the back of the tome, “this is my _avus_ , Herilus and his bondmate Seina, and then my _abba_ and my _ima_ were bonded and then I was born, and Mena was born…” Caelan traced down his family lineage, pointing out the space reserved below Tani’s name where Dimia and Quintus would be recorded at the _beneficium_.

Caius paged through the book, listening raptly as Caelan and Indari pointed out various relatives and distant cousins, explaining their service records, or lack thereof in some cases.

Caius turned back to the most recent entries and pointed to a black symbol next to the name just above Caelan’s own, “What does this mean?”

“It means that someone has died. My _ima_ passed away a long time ago.” Caelan replied quietly.

 “Oh.” Caius sighed, fingering the page, his eyes downcast from the two _torvir_ with him.

“I wonder where my name will be written down.” Caius said solemnly.

Subtle alarm rose in Caelan, “What makes you say that?” he asked, clamping down on his subvocals as so not to worry the _puer_.

“I know I’m sick, and that I’m not going to get better.” Caius turned to face him, and Caelan felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him by a raging krogan. He and Lara had planned an appointment with Caius’ doctor to break the news to the _puer_ about his prognosis, but they had scheduled it for after their trip, not wanting Caius’ time with Caelan’s family to be overshadowed by grief or fear.

“When I die, will you look after my _ima_? She doesn’t have any family and I don’t want her to be sad.” Caius’ voice warbled with emotion.

Taking a shaking Caius into his arms, Caelan heard his father struggle to hold in his trill of sorrow as he reassured the _puer_ , his voice thick, “With all I am I will care for and love your _ima_ , just like I love and care for you. You are both part of my family.”

At that Caius started to keen, and the voices of the two older males joined in, unable to hold back their emotions.

As they composed themselves, Caius occasionally still shuddering with breath-hitching cries, Caelan made meaningful eye contact with his father, conveying his silent request for the second part of the plan they had discussed before their trip. Indari read his son’s gaze and nodded, wholly supporting Caelan’s wish. There were things to be discussed among the rest of the family before the _beneficium_ in two day’s time.

\---

As they sat together on the sofa, taking the chance to be alone together after Caius and the rest of the family had retired for the night, Caelan was quiet as he thought of how to approach his proposal. He and Lara had made a vow to talk to each other more about the uncomfortable, difficult things, in order to avoid future incidents, hurt feelings and time apart. Caelan figured now was a good time to start.

“You’re thinking awfully loud, love.” Lara said, picking her head up off his chest, concern furrowing her brow as she twisted to look at him.

Caelan sighed, rubbing a hand across his fringe in a self-soothing motion. “You know I was serious when I called you my mate?”

“I do…and I’m just as serious, even if I didn’t say it then.” Lara was solemn, studying his face. “What’s bothering you?”.

“I’ve asked my father if I could present you and Caius for _adoptivam_.”

“Adopti-? That didn’t translate.”

“ _Adoptivam._ It probably didn’t translate because it has more than one meaning to us. Essentially, it is asking the extended clan permission to bring a new member, usually a lower ranking one, into the family.

In Caius’ case, it would be that I would adopt him to raise with you and he could bear my family’s markings, if he wanted. With you, I would be showing the clan that you are my intended bondmate. Luccus had to go through _adoptivam_ with Protis because Protis’ family is higher ranked than our own, and when they have their bonding ceremony in a few months, Luccus will take on Protis’ markings and family name.”

“Could the clan veto your choices?”

Caelan shook his head and tucked a stray piece of hair behind Lara’s ear. “Not really. If the clan disagrees, the one presenting the _adoptivam_ can go against their wishes but it isn’t ideal, given Turian conformity and all. It’s just for the clan to judge and see if someone is a suitable addition.”

“So you want Caius and I to go through the process?” Lara asked quietly, gaze fixed to the floor as she traced idle circles on the arm he had wrapped around her, pulling her close to his side.

Caelan stiffened in concern and tipped her head to meet his gaze.

“Only if you _both_ want to. I would never, _never_ , disgrace Maxis’ memory or try to take his place in your lives by asking you; and I understand if you don’t want to go through with it.”

“But it’s important to you, right?” Lara’s fingers had stilled in their ministrations.

Caelan’s heart began to race, “I know it’s a bit old fashioned but…”

Lara cut him off, a finger pressed over his mouth plates, “If it’s important to you, then it’s important to me. Maxis is gone, yes, and a part of Caius and I will always be his, but being with you and bonding someday won’t tarnish his memory. You are here,” Lara cupped Caelan’s face, softly stroking her thumbs along his mandibles, and pressed her brow to his own, “and we both love you.”

Caelan purred, nuzzling into the contact.

“I have to see what Caius wants though.” Lara murmured, leaning back, “Although I’ll have to steal my own son away from your family to do that.”

Caelan rumbled in amusement at her statement.

The Aetrius family had welcomed Caius with open arms, and had been smitten with the _puer_ since they’d arrived. Lara had even joked that when their trip was over she wouldn’t be surprised if someone would have spirited Caius away to keep him on Palaven.

She had pouted in mock hurt when Caius had readily agreed to staying behind, whispering loud enough to be overheard with Mena as they plotted his escape, but all was forgiven when Caius had remarked that he would miss her hugs too much as he held his arms out for one.

“We have time,” he assured Lara, “and if you’re not ready or Caius isn’t ready yet it won’t change anything.”

“Thank you.” Lara whispered. She knew what she felt, but would Caius feel the same way?

\---

It was easier than she thought to get a moment alone with Caius. Most of the family was away for the day, and Caelan had been roped into helping his father and Tiberius spruce up the _templum_ , replacing some cracked and worn roofing tiles and a few other odd jobs that were often overlooked or required more than one or two people to do.

The house was silent as Lara meandered down the hall to Caius’ room, chastising herself for feeling so nervous about talking to her son. Gently knocking on the door, Lara entered the room where Caius was quietly reading a datapad, and she shut the door behind her. Coming to the side of the bed, Lara could see that Caius was engrossed in a comic that Deican was a fan of, _Spectres & Space Pirates_.

She waited until Caius had finished the page he was on before laying on the bed beside her son, who closed the datapad and snuggled closer, resting his head on her shoulder, in an imitation of how she used to hold him as a newborn.

“Hi Cai. Are you enjoying our trip so far?” Lara asked, and the excited buzz of Caius’ subvocals filled the room.

“It’s SO fun here _ima_! Everyone’s really nice and I like playing with Deican’s ships and the beach was great! I wish we could stay forever. Do you think we could come back again?”

“Maybe we’ll come back for Luccus and Protis’ bonding in a few months.”

“I’d like to do that. Maybe we could stay longer too.” Caius replied hopefully, mandibles spread wide in a smile.

“That’s good.” Lara sobered, nerves twisting in her stomach.

“Caius, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

Caius glanced up at her with wary eyes, “Okay.”.

Lara huffed a quick breath through her nose. It was better to be clear and direct rather than to keep overthinking this discussion.

“I thought you should know that Caelan asked if we would do an _adoptivam_ with him.”

“What’s that?” Caius frowned.

“He wants to adopt us into his clan…and someday, maybe, he and I would have a bonding of our own.”

“Like you and abba wanted to?”

Lara’s throat constricted, and she swallowed, “Yeah, like that. It doesn’t mean I don’t still love your abba, he was very special to me, but I love Caelan too.”

Caius was silent, and Lara continued, babbling worriedly in broken sentences. “You can think it over. And tell me what you feel about it. Good or bad. Or ask me questions. Caelan said you can talk to him about it too. If you want.”

“What would happen if I said no?” Caius asked, mandibles flicking nervously.

Lara’s shoulders tightened a fraction and she took a deep breath. “Well, I’d have to make some decisions, but you are the most important thing to me Cai, and if you don’t want the three of us to do this, we won’t.”

“But you’d be partners right? Like Mena and Tiber or Indari and Aclea?”

“We would be partners more than we are now. We’d spend a lot more time with Caelan too… I know it has just been you and I for a long time and this would be a big change, but it’s been nice for me to have another grownup around to talk about and do grownup things with sometimes. And you like Caelan too right?”

Caius nodded vigorously, “So would we live together?”

“Probably…” Lara answered slowly, “We’d have to move though, because where we live right now is pretty far from where Caelan works.”

Caius was quiet for a few moments, and he when spoke again it was in a voice so small Lara almost couldn’t hear what he was saying.

“ _Ima_ , we could still do stuff… just you and me, right?”

“Absolutely Cai! I’m always going to be your _ima_ and we can always do things just the two of us.”. Her heart clenched at the quiver she could just scarcely hear in her son’s voice.

“Good.” Caius’ voice was muffled as he nuzzled into her neck. Lara stroked a comforting hand over his fringe. It was just starting to lengthen a bit and she couldn’t believe how grown up Caius was becoming.

Caius looked thoughtful as he lifted his head from her chest, and Lara felt a bit more hopeful at the prospects of what he would say next.

“Do you think it would be ok if I called Caelan _abba_? I mean, I know he’s not my _real_ abba, that’s Maxis, but he kind of is in a way too.”

“You can ask him, but I don’t think he would mind.” Lara smiled broadly as Caius hugged her to him tightly before peppering her with more questions. Would he be painted with the Aetrius markings? Would Deican and Dimia and Quintus be his cousins? Could they move to Palaven to live with Caelan’s family?

Could they make it a surprise when they told Caelan?

 

 

Dictionary:

Adoptivam – Latin for adoptive. Used here to describe a turian who is adopting another into their clan. This could include the lower-tiered mate of a bonding couple (who would take on the higher tiered partners clan markings) before their bonding ceremony (which would occur later, once the adoptivam has been granted) or an orphaned child for example.

Avia – Latin for grandmother. Used here to mean the same.

Avus – Latin for grandfather. Used here to mean the same.

Beneficium – Latin for blessing. Used here to mean the same.

Curate – a temple-keeper. Someone appointed with looking after and maintaining the temple buildings and grounds. Caelan’s father is the curate for the templum.

Ima – Hebrew for mother. Used here to mean the same.

Abba – Hebrew for father. Used here to mean the same.

Doma – a large house or dwelling with many wings or separate areas meant to house large, extended families of the same clan.

_Hiraeth_ \- a Welsh word that refers to homesickness mixed with grief and sadness over the lost or departed, or a type of longing for the homeland or the romanticized past. It represents a mixture of longing, nostalgia, wistfulness and yearning. Used here to mean the same.

Primarchessa – A female Primarch. Realistically I think it could be possible for female turians to reach the rank of Primarch, although I expect it would only happen rarely due to family/child commitments.

Torvir – ‘vir’ is Latin for man, so I used torvir to denote a turian male over the age of maturity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caelax (From the Mass Effect Wiki): “… an ancient philosopher and author. But where Aventen wrote for the military leaders of tomorrow, Caelax focused on those who feed, clothe, heal and arm the soldier. Her enormous tome, “Service”, features a lengthy chapter on laws that formed the basis for the turian concept of citizenship tiers.”  
> Caelan’s name would be the masculine form of Caelax. Everything I’ve written about Caelan’s ancient namesake is of my own creation.  
> P.S. 1 platoon = 39 individuals ;)
> 
>  
> 
> I will likely upload the last three chapters all at once next week, as I will be busy starting my first clinical internship of the summer in two weeks time.


	10. Ch. 10 – Painted – Lara

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first of the last 3 chapters!

Lara could scarcely believe that their trip to Palaven was coming to a close as she finished dressing for the _beneficium_. The timing of their short trip had worked out well, falling after the end of her classes and practicum, and it was nice to get away for a little while before she had to think about studying for her licencing exam and then graduating. They would be leaving tomorrow and Lara knew she would miss seeing the Aetrius family every day.

Indari and Aclea had welcomed her and treated her as another daughter almost instantaneously, which Lara found comfort in, having been estranged from her own parents for years now; she didn’t even know if they had survived the Reaper War.

She and Mena had hit it off quickly, becoming fast friends, as had Caius and Deican. Lara enjoyed spending time with the other members of the family as well, whether it was tending the twins with Tani, watching Luccus tinker with some tech project, or listening to Tiberius and Protis swap stories about growing up on Edessan, where both males were from, with Lara interjecting a few stories she remembered Maxis telling her about his time at the flight academy stationed on the planet.

Braiding her hair over her shoulder, Lara felt butterflies stir in her stomach as she thought about what would be happening tonight. It had been hard to keep their plan a secret from Caelan, especially when Deican had almost let it slip accidentally, having overheard his parents, but somehow they’d managed it.

Taking one last look in the mirror, Lara ensured that her hair was away from her face, and she smoothed a few non-existent wrinkles from her outfit. A light gray sundress, cinched slightly at the waist but comfortably loose and flowing with black diagonal pinstripes along the skirt was one of the two dresses that reside in her closet.

Lara never thought she had the body shape to wear a dress, always feeling frumpy compared to the shorter, more feminine women the rare time she would put one on, and she’d usually forgo the dress in favor of a pantsuit for any formal occasion. It’s only because of the heated stare Caelan gave her when he saw Lara in her other dress that gave her the courage to wear this one to the _beneficium_. According to Mena and Tani, the color should suit their eldest brother’s attire just fine.

Caelan had planned to wear his lone suit, the green and gold formal wear he had worn to Lara’s apartment after their missed celebratory dinner and Lara unfortunately discovered that Caius’ formal wear he had worn all of one time was now a bit too small for him.

When Aclea discovered this, she had whisked Caius and Caelan away, despite the latter’s protestations that his suit was “A little old but still good enough”, while she muttered something about men and clothes, and the three had spent the afternoon having two new sets of formalwear made.

Leaving the bedroom, Lara’s loves waited in the entryway of the _doma_ , chatting with each other, the rest of the family already having moved over into the _templum._ She smiled as the two laughed and joked sitting close to each others side, and she wanted to remember this moment.

Caelan’s suit was a deep shade of eggplant, with silver trim adorning the seams and clasps, and it complimented his gun-metal gray plating nicely. At his side, Caius’ suit was a deep, dusky brown with panels of turquoise on the chest, a respectful nod to her past mate from Caelan, Lara was sure, as Maxis’ plates and clan markings were a near match to the colors Caius wore.

“I’m a lucky woman,” Lara smiled smugly, interrupting the conversation between the two, “being accompanied by the two most handsome _torvir_ in the galaxy.”

“Really?” Caius asked and Lara nodded, “Absolutely. I’ll have to beat all the females off you with a stick tonight for sure.”, she replied with a wink.

Caelan chuffed in amusement as Caius chirped awkwardly, his neck flushing blue.

“Ready to go?” Caelan asked, rising from where he had been seated.

“Let’s.” Lara grinned as Caelan wrapped an arm around her waist and she was sandwiched between her turians as they exited the family dwelling into the cooling air for the short walk to the _templum._

\---

Entering the atrium, Lara could feel the excitement in the air emanating from the conversations buzzing around them, the extended Aetrius clan gathered with other clans in the community for the _beneficium_.

She had been shown around the _templum_ on their first day on Palaven, but it looked so different in the early evening light. The room was cast in a rosy hue, thanks to the skylights that captured Trebia’s setting rays and illuminated the temple’s rooms. Various murals and fresco paintings depicted scenes in turian history; everything from the chieftains renewing their allegiance to the Hierarchy at the end of the Unification War to a sole survivor laying his comrades to rest adorned the walls, their colors popping brightly.

As they were escorted to their seats, Lara scanned her gaze around the _templum’s_ main chamber, which was filled with turians and the occasional asari bondmate. She was surprised to see another human in their midst, and she pointed out the dark skinned man to Caelan. “That’s my great aunt Juna’s bondmate Adam.”, he explained, “They met during the Relay 314 Incident and did their _adoptivam_ two years ago with her clan.”

Lara craned her head and could see that Adam sported the same lavender clan markings as the nearly black plated female at his side. She went to ask Caelan another question when the room fell silent, all the turians rising and saluting an older _torvir_ who was resplendent in a robe of rich golds and reds, walking in perfect military formation with his two attendants, back ramrod straight. She rose as well and Caelan leaned over and whispered in her ear, “That’s the _turiavi_. A keeper of records is the closest thing I can think of to describe him to you.” Lara hummed in acknowledgement.

After the _turiavi_ passed their row, Mena leaned over from Lara’s other side whispering as she gestured subtly to the male’s back. “Why the rest of the galaxy thinks turians have a stick up our asses: exhibit A.” Lara quivered as she kept her laughter contained, and Caelan’s perfect salute faltered a moment, earning a pained sigh from Indari at the antics of his free spirited, eldest daughter, who had a fondness for making a bit of mockery at formal events.

 “May the spirits be with you all,” the _turiavi_ began and the occupants of the room took their seats, “and welcome those tied by blood or by heart to this most sacred occasion. The birth of twins!”. The turians in the room chirruped and Lara smiled as she saw Veter and Tani take their place on the stage, each holding one of their fledglings.

“The strength of the first clans did not come from only their warriors, but also from the strength and safety in numbers. With each birth comes great honor to the clan, but the birth of twins foretold of a plentiful year ahead.” The _turiavi_ paused and looked around the room.

“Strength in numbers: it is not just a child’s parents alone who raise them, for they are shaped by the clan and community as a whole. Who will stand by these children, supporting, nurturing, sheltering and caring for them through the struggles and hardships of life?”

The Aetrius clan, with their matching green markings rose, as did Veter’s family, the orange marked Trenition clan, responding with, “We will.”

“Then it is so.” The _turiavi_ wrote in the Aetrius annal book and gestured Tani and Veter forward.

“I now present the continuation of the Aetrius line: Dimia and Quintus, the children of Tani and Veter. Tani, daughter of Indari and Aclea, and sister to Caelan, Mena and Luccus. Indari, the son of Herilus and Seina. Herilus, the son of Gabias and Vitoria, a brother to Julius and Rubisa. Vitoria, daughter of...” The craggy voice of the _turiavi_ traced the Aetrius lineage back for generations. When the old turian finished, the _templum_ exploded in a cacophony of chirps and happy trills as the two new lives were greeted by their extended families.

After the crowd quieted on a cue from the _turiavi,_ Indari stepped forward, “We must remember, also, that although family is often born of blood, it is not exclusive of blood itself. Sometimes, the spirits bring us the family we need along our journey and the clan grows stronger because of it.

My son Caelan, and our clan as a whole, has been strengthened and enriched with the additions of his mate Lara and her son Caius who are here with us tonight, and he has put forth a petition of _adoptivam_.” At her side, Caelan had gone still.

After her discussion with Caius, Lara had gone to the Aetrius patriarch, to learn a bit more about the _adoptivam_ process. When the news spread to the rest of the family members, Tani and Veter had even gone as far to suggest that the _adoptivam_ rite should happen the same night as the twin’s _beneficium_.

“It gives us more to celebrate!” Tani had exclaimed when Lara had tried in vain to dismiss the idea, not wanting to take the spotlight away from the twins.

Although Caelan had told her he would wait for their answer, regardless of what it was, Lara could tell that he had been itching to find out what Caius had said over the last few days, as she and the elder Aetrius planned how to best surprise his son.

She found it amusing when Caelan often had to visibly restrain himself from asking questions, despite knowing that something was up based on the hushed whispers and secretive smiles of his family. According to Indari it was a trait carried over from his childhood, referring to a younger Caelan’s intense, and occasionally inappropriate curiosity with _everything_. “If we didn’t answer his questions as a _puer_ , he went and found out for himself.” Indari had laughed, telling Lara of some of Caelan’s escapades.

Even though Lara knew this was coming, her emotions hit her at that moment. She blinked her moist eyes furiously as she and Caius rose, ready to be accompanied up to the stage by the Aetrius family. Caelan was still in his seat, shocked, until Caius extended his hand, forgoing the brace to rely instead on the male he had come to see as another father.

“Let’s go,” Caius said, taking Caelan’s hand in his own, “abba.”

That seemed to shake Caelan from his daze and Lara could hear him purring affectionately when he realized what Caius had called him.

The sizeable group reached the stage and the Aetrius family stepped back, leaving Caelan with Lara and Caius, presented before the room of gathered turians.

The _turiavi_ continued as his attendants directed them where to stand, “In the process of _adoptivam_ know that though this _puer_ and this woman are not of Aetrius blood, they will forever be a part of your clan. Whatever successes and misfortunes greet them will be yours, as will yours become theirs. They will look to your ancestors for guidance and counsel. With faith and fortitude, they shall stand with you and you with them, until they are embraced by the spirits at their time of passing. What say you, clan Aetrius? Can you attest to these individuals?”

“We can attest to the gentle and curious spirit of Caius Faion-Wells, a benefit to our clan.” Indari spoke, stepping forward with Tani to stand behind Caius.

“We attest to the inner-strength and faith of Lara Wells, a benefit to our clan.” Mena and Aclea said as one, resting hands on Lara’s shoulders.

“Assent or dissent? Speak now." the _turiavi_ spoke out to the extended Aetrius family. Answering trills of agreement or disapproving growls from the distant relatives followed, the former far outweighing the latter.

“The _adoptivam_ is granted. Please step forward and repeat after me.” The _turiavi_ directed Lara and Caius to flank either side of Caelan, who grasped their hands in his own.

“By faith and fortitude I shall stand in the embrace of the spirits of clan Aetrius as _adoptivam_ and mate of Caelan Aetrius. This is the valor of my ancestors.” Lara hardly heard the _turiavi_ as she spoke, her eyes firmly fixed on Caelan’s adoring gaze, and he gave her hand a squeeze after she finished.

Turning, the _turiavi_ began to recite and Caius repeated after him.

 “By faith and fortitude I shall stand in the embrace of the spirits of clan Aetrius, a son of Maxis Faion and Lara Wells, _adoptivam_ of Caelan Aetrius. This is the valor of my ancestors.”

“Give them your mark so that others may know they are of your kin.”

Indari stepped forward and Caelan accepted the brushes and two green pots from his father, opening the first as he crouched before Caius. Raising his hand, Caelan began to paint the Aetrius markings on her, _their,_ son, the deep green complimenting his copper plates. Using the second brush and paint pot, Caelan added his markings to her face.

The only thing that belied his steady outward appearance was the trembling of his mandibles and Lara stilled one, pressing her hand to it. Caelan inhaled shakily and closed his eyes, nuzzling into the contact for just a moment before his emerald gaze was upon her again.

 He turned, and wrapping one arm around Lara’s waist and resting his other hand on Caius’ shoulder, facing the gathered crowd. His voice shook with emotion as he spoke, “They are of our family. Know them and recognize them. Caius Faion-Wells son of Maxis Faion and Lara Wells, this is your family. Lara Wells this is-“

“Aetrius-Wells.” Lara interrupted quietly, giving the hand on her hip a gentle squeeze.

“Lara Aetrius-Wells, my mate, this is your family.”

The room was silent, and Lara’s heart pounded in her chest. Caius reached around Caelan and tugged on her hand, “I’m painted ima! You look kind of funny though.” he giggled and the others in the room rumbled in amusement. Lara was sure she was sporting a brilliant shade of scarlet on her skin for how hard she was blushing. The ancient _turiavi_ even managed to crack a smile and laughed before ending the ceremony.

“As did the ancestors now shall do we: gather by the _ignis_ and feast!”. 

The outer wall of the _templum_ was awash in electric blue light from the flames of the _ignis_ and the scent of food permeated the temple grounds as the masses exited and made their way to where tables were groaning with food and drink.

“You know…that’s the first time I think I’ve ever seen the _turiavi_ smile.” Mena laughed as she passed by Lara, “Welcome to the family sister!” she called before bustling off into the crowd, a vivacious hostess intent on looking after her guests.

The evening was spent eating and socializing, and Lara spent time chatting with Adam and Juna, who were thrilled to see another human adopted into a turian clan. The two had been separated for years after the First Contact War, each raising families and spoiling grandchildren of their own. It was only by chance that they crossed paths while visiting the newly rebuilt Citadel.

Adam’s wife and Juna’s bondmate had both been lost to the Reaper War and it was at the memorial service where their paths crossed again. Both couples found it amusing that the way Caelan and Lara had met at the memorial garden was eerily similar to how the older bondmates had reconnected with each other again.

As the night wore on Caelan’s brother Luccus and his mate Protis, who were both members of their regiment’s ceremonial drum corp, broke out their instruments and began drumming. Some of the turians present began demonstrating traditional war dances, and Caelan himself joined in on the one he had been taught.

Lara had never seen anything like it before. It was so primal, yet elegant. The dancers flowed as if sparring but never landed a blow, moving together in unison, a perfect point and counterpoint against each other. Green eyes flashing bright, Caelan took his place again at Lara’s side after the dance finished and he rumbled in amusement at her stunned expression. The raw power of her mate’s performance and the heady spice of Caelan’s cologne rising from his heated hide were sending delicious sparks through her core.

Although Lara, Caelan and Caius had to steal away early from the celebrations, she didn’t mind. Her heart had never felt this full before, and it was all thanks to the soldier she had barely met all those months ago at the embassy.

 

Dictionary:

Adoptivam – Latin for adoptive. Used here to describe a turian who is adopting another into their clan. This could include the lower-tiered mate of a bonding couple (who would take on the higher tiered partners clan markings) before their bonding ceremony (which would occur later, once the adoptivam has been granted) or an orphaned child for example.

Torvir – ‘vir’ is Latin for man, so I used torvir to denote a turian male over the age of maturity.

Spirituum templum – Latin for spirit temple. Used to describe a temple where one can commune with the spirits.

Puer - Puer – Latin for boy. Used here to mean the same.

Turiavi – a turian record keeper. Basically almost like a priest, performing bonding ceremonies, adoptivam rites etc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edessan (from the Cerberus Daily News Wiki): “Edessan is a major Turian Hierarchy colony world, located in the outer regions of turian space. It is among the oldest and most populated Hierarchy worlds and holds a significant amount of both strategic and sentimental importance for turians…It has a considerably large agricultural industry […] and hostile environment infantry training facilities which are renowned throughout the Hierarchy, but what Edessan is best known for is its highly prestigious flight academy.”
> 
> I’m honestly not a huge fan of the trope where Shepard/the female human character gets painted with turian clan markings, but I couldn’t figure out how to make the adoptivam work without Lara being painted, so I went where the story said to go :)


	11. Ch. 11 – All Fall Down – Caelan & Lara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s true in life…that the greatest highs are often followed by the lowest lows.” ~ Cary Elwes.  
>  *Tissue warning*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2nd to last chapter.

Upon returning from their trip to Palaven, Caelan explained to Lara what Caius had told him and his father the day they had toured the archives, and they took Caius to the appointment they had scheduled, where his doctor referred them to an asari grief counsellor with centuries of experience, and the three of them regularly met with her.

Caius had an understanding of death, given the loss of Maxis when he was very young, but with the counsellor they discussed what happens when someone dies and what different species and cultures believed. Caius spent a lot of time thinking, but he usually came to Lara or Caelan once a day with a question or a concern, and they did their best to answer, as heartwrenching as some of his questions were. Caius had even taken it upon himself to write letters or make drawings to give to the people important to him as a way to say goodbye, and he had instructed Lara to keep them for now and give them out “after”.

Eager to make lots of memories together, the new family moved into a larger apartment together. Lara graduated from her physiotherapy program and began working at Huerta Memorial in a temporary position while she waited for a more permanent spot to open up. Caelan earned himself a promotion from C-SEC after finding a big break in one of his smuggling cases, and Caius’ condition even seemed to have lessened in it’s effects, allowing the _puer_ to rely a little less on bedrest to keep the symptoms at bay.

They celebrated Christmas not long after, a human holiday that Caelan found very enjoyable. The couple didn’t exchange gifts, instead choosing to purchase rings together. They selected matching bands with a thin strip of deep purple stone embedded in the silver metal. Lara wore hers on her left hand, and Caelan chose to secure his on the chain around his neck with his old dog-tags, carried close to his heart.

Caius had been pleased with a special edition set of human history vids among his other gifts, but what made their holiday even more special was when they announced to Caius that they had been placed on a turian adoption list.

Caius had been enraptured with Dimia and Quintus during their stay with Caelan’s family, requesting to hold one of the twins any chance he could, learning how to feed and change them while asking lot’s of questions to any of his new aunts about caring for fledglings.

When they broke the news to Caius about being placed on the adoption list he had wrapped Lara and Caelan both in tight hugs. Although turians couldn’t produce tears, Caelan knew that had Caius been human he would have been crying tears of joy from the way his mandibles quivered and how his voice trilled excitedly. He devoured the book they had purchased for him about baby turians, memorizing and reciting passages about fledgling sleeping, eating and growth habits.

As the three of them fell into comfortable routines together, Caelan couldn’t imagine his life any other way.

\---

Caelan was standing at the C-SEC office in the lower wards of Bachjret when the call came through. Keeping one eye trained on the twitchy salarian smuggler he and his partner had brought in for booking and the other on the lineup in front of the desk sergeant, he missed what the dispatcher said the first time around. It was when he heard the asari confirm the address to the rapid response team being sent from Huerta that his adrenaline kicked in.

“Upper Bachjret, Duttat Heights Apartment 218. Turian youth in distress – reported seizing, loss of consciousness, and bleeding from nose and aural canals.”

No…no no…nonono… _Spirits NO!_

“Sarge, that’s my address. That’s my son!” Caelan shouted to the turian behind the desk, pushing through to the front of the line.

“Take these, use one of the skycars out back.” The sergeant threw him a set of keys and Caelan was on the move.

“Get out of here man! I’ll cover with the boss! MAKE A HOLE!”, his partner bellowed at a group of green officers, their first day on the job, who scattered like leaves in the wind as Caelan sprinted out to the shuttle lot.

As he raced to Huerta, sirens screaming and lights flashing, Caelan’s mind was racing. _Where is Lara today? Is she off or working…doesn’t she work tomorrow though?_ He tried to call her on his omni-tool and narrowly avoided a mid-air collision. The call didn’t connect anyway.

When he pulled up to Huerta’s Presidium entrance, Caelan was only mere seconds behind the rapid response ambulance. Charging into the emergency room, his gaze swung wildly, trying to find a nurse or doctor he could talk to. Instead it’s the appearance and cry of his mate that almost brings him to his knees.

“Caelan!”

Lara’s trembling, tears running down her face and mixing with the cerulean blood from her hands as they desperately cling to each other.

“So much, so much blood. On – on my hands. I couldn’t stop it, just kept coming.” Lara moaned and Caelan snagged the sleeve of a passing orderly, who directed them into an empty room where he cleaned his mate, dressing her in the scrubs provided by a thoughtful nurse. She’s quiet, glassy eyed and numb as they sit in a secluded corner of the waiting area, where between bouts of fresh tears, Lara recounted what happened.

Caius had woken that morning feeling a little off, and after only eating half of his breakfast, went back to bed. Lara said that he didn’t feel feverish or painful and seemed in good spirits as she turned on the vidscreen for him, before busying herself with other chores around the apartment.

It was just after lunchtime that Caius came to Lara, complaining of a headache. She sat him in the living room with some water while she called his doctor and went into the bathroom for another dose of Caius’ pain medication.

It was the shattering of glass that brought Lara out of the bathroom, where she saw Caius half-slumped to the floor, convulsing. When the first episode ended, Caius was disoriented and unresponsive to Lara’s questioning, and by the time the second seizure had ended with bleeding, medics had arrived. During the ride to Huerta they had managed to get his seizing under control, but for how long?

They had been there for hours, and one of the nurses, a kindly looking asari, came by with food, coffee and kava from the hospital cafeteria, and assured Caelan and Lara that Caius was in the best hands possible. Taking one glance at his mate, Caelan saw that Lara was beyond comprehending, so he thanked the nurse who pressed a hand to his shoulder, squeezing in sympathy.

Caelan ate his food, taste buds barely registering the lukewarm mystery dextro meat concoction. He encouraged Lara to eat as well, but the first bite sent her reeling to the closest garbage bin, Caelan holding her hair back as she emptied the meagre contents of her stomach.

It’s another two hours later when Caius’ physician, Dr. Pandos, and the grief counselor they had been seeing, Raayla T’Vato, take them through to the asari’s office. Dr. Pandos looked exhausted, and if her sympathetic subvocals are anything to go by, she’s had a tiring shift already today.

“We’ve done what we can for Caius, but the largest mass has fully invaded his autonomic centers now.” A scan popped up on a display screen, and the doctor gestured to the grotesque, white mass.

“The blood vessels supplying that tumor have ruptured, causing an inoperable bleed in his brain. To be frank, it’s a miracle that he’s been able to breathe on his own and act normally for as long as he has.”

Lara’s quietly sobbing again and Caelan is keening when the counselor speaks up, “He doesn’t have much time left, and he’s asking for you. I can be there with you if you want, or you can request that you be disturbed as little as possible.”

“Is he in pain?” Lara composed herself long enough to ask, and Caelan sighed in relief, if it could be called that, when the doctor assured them that Caius isn’t feeling much of anything with the pain medications they have given them.

They decided to be left alone together with Caius, who was laying _so_ still and breathing shallowly. With an oxygen line in his nose with tubes and wires strung across his bed, Caius looked frail and tiny, as they sat on either side of the hospital bed. The heart monitor was beeping regularly, but taking a quick glance at the readout, Caelan could tell that the waves scrolling across the screen just weren’t normal.

“Hi my baby, my _adva_ ,” Lara whispered as Caius’ eyes fluttered open, and they each took one of the _puer_ ’s hands in their own.

“It’s time, isn’t it?” Caius asked quietly, eyes trained on the ceiling.

“It is,” Caelan replied softly, butting his head to Caius’ own, “but we’ll be here with you. You are so brave Caius, the bravest turian I know.”

Caius nodded his head resignedly. The three were silent for a few moments, save for sniffling or the attempt at deep, calming breaths from the adults. “Don’t be sad _ima_ , please don’t be sad. I’ll always be with you, in here.” Caius freed his hand from Lara’s grip, placing it over her heart.

“Caelan, I know you aren’t my first _abba_ , but you are my _abba_ too. Please look after my _ima_ , make her smile and be happy…” Caius trailed off, slumping back into the pillows and closing his eyes.

A breath. Another breath.

“Can you sing my song _ima_?” he asked hoarsely, cracking his eyes open just a sliver.

Lara inhaled, her throat thick with emotion, and she ignored how her voice cracked as she began to sing the lullaby she would use to soothe Caius to sleep as an infant.

_“May you bring love and may you bring happiness_ _. Be loved in return to the end of your days.  
Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you, I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay.”_

His breathing slowed, and she gently ran her fingers over his fringe.

 

_“May there always be angels to watch over you, to guide you each step of the way._

_To guard you and keep you, safe from all harm. Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay.”_

Another breath, and Caius gripped Caelan’s hand as Lara continued to sing.

 

_“Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay. Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay.”_

“Tell my…tell my baby sister I love her.” Caius breathed out, closing his amber eyes one last time. His chest stopped rising, and the steady rhythm of the heart monitor became one continuous tone.

Caelan thought he had seen Lara break the night all those months ago when she told him of Caius’ prognosis. That paled in comparison as he watched her _shatter_ in his arms as he caught her falling to her knees, his flanging cry melding with her gasping wails.

 

Dictionary:

Ima – Hebrew for mother. Used here to mean the same.

Adva – Hebrew for small wave or ripple. Used in this story to mean “little one”.

Abba – Hebrew for father. Used here to mean the same.

Puer – Latin for boy. Used here to mean the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Lara sings is Sleepsong by the Secret Garden. If you want to take a listen, this link will take you to the part that Lara sings to Caius. https://youtu.be/_yQpU_73Dv0?t=168


	12. Ch. 12 – Epilogue: Every Ending Has A New Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last one!

Trebia had set down below the horizon, casting the sky in a brilliant palette of pinks, oranges and deep purples, and the night air was cooling as Caelan took in the swaying figure. Her back was to him, a white skirt flowing around her legs. Lara danced slowly, her bare feet in the cool sand, as she hummed an emotive tune softly to the little bundle that was perched on her shoulder.

 

As he moved quietly, he could hear the sleepy purrs of the little one, and he watched the heavy-lidded, liquid silver eyes try valiantly to stay open.

 

He wrapped his arms around the two, and swayed along with their motion as best he could as she finished the song.

 

“What should we name the little one?” he whispered after a few moments of silence, letting his head rest over the bonding mark he had left on Lara’s neck and shoulder a year earlier.

He inhaled her scent and that of his new daughter, mingling them with the earthiness stirred up by the winds that would bring rainfall overnight, and the two felt a semblance of peace for the first time since Caius’ passing three years ago.

 

“Liviana. Your big brother Caius loves you, Liviana Aetrius.” she replied, her voice muffled as she pressed a kiss to the back of their daughter’s head.

 

“I think my _ima_ would approve.” He drew the pair through the doorway of the family wing of the templum. Caelan knew in his heart that his mother would approve, because Liviana had been her name too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is! I hope you enjoyed this little journey readers, I had a lot of fun writing it! I have a few other fics in the works, (a special one is coming tomorrow!!) but until I develop them more I will continue to read & kudos all of your lovely stories :)


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